The Love of a Daughter
by MsKRyan.ox
Summary: Natalie Ocean joins her father in his quest against Terry Benedict, but when it's revealed that her mother's the reason, what's a girl to do? Does she choose the money to pay for her dream wedding to her brother's right hand man or the woman she needs in her life more than anything? And if her father can get away with it, can she get both?
1. I: The Thief's Princess

Chapter One: The Thief's Princess

* * *

_It had been years since she had last seen her father. And even after all those years, she could still clearly remember the last day she had spent with him. It was just before her first day working at a local bank branch when he had handed her a check stating that it was for her tuition and then some. She had looked at her father and shook her head._

"_You didn't," she asked, "Please tell me you didn't. You promised me you wouldn't do something stupid." Daniel Ocean looked at his little girl sadly. He had in fact done something stupid. Tess had just left them and he was on the destructive, fast track going nowhere, but he wanted better for his princess. He wanted her to have everything she ever wanted in life and more, so when he found out that she had no money to get into the University of her dreams, even after they had accepted her, he had to do this one job just to get her there._

"_I can't take this money," she had told him, "I'll get there…maybe not this year, but I'll get there." She handed him back the check, but Danny shook his head._

"_I want you to take it," he told her, "I want you to go to Princeton, and I want you to be able to do what you love."_

"_How can I do what I love, when my father just might go to prison for trying to get me there," she had snapped at him through her tears. She knew her father was going to get caught this time. The school had specifically asked for a check to pay for the tuition and she knew the rules. Never pay with checks only in cash. Never leave a trail for them to find you, but he broke it. He broke it to send her to school._

_She never would get to Princeton. _

_As they carted her father off to the local police station a week later, she handed the police officer the duplicate to the check she had already cashed in that morning under a fake name. And as he was being handcuffed, Daniel Ocean looked at his little girl and beckoned her towards him. Taking a slow couple steps towards her father, she smiled at him and mouthed, 'thank you.' He smiled his brilliant smile at her and leaned into kiss her forehead._

"_Go live your dreams, Natty," he told her as he was pushed into the back of the police cruiser. What he didn't know was that her dreams had changed and she wanted to be just like him._

_She sold the house a couple of months later, calling her dad's friend Rusty to come and pick her up. As she got into the '69 mustang and put on her diva-like sunglasses, she smiled._

* * *

"It's tricky," Danny admitted to his friend Rusty as they sat in an almost empty diner sharing a couple cups of coffee, "It's never been done before. It's going to need planning and a large crew."

"Guns?"

"Not exactly, a lot of security, but the take-"

"What's the target," Rusty interrupted.

"Eight figures each," Danny continued through the interruption.

"What's the target," Rusty asked once more.

"When was the last time you were in Vegas?"

"What? You want to knock over a casino," Rusty asked, looking at his friend like he had gone slightly insane while in the big house. Danny just smiled and held up three fingers. Rusty was about to take a sip of coffee when he had seen the number of fingers that Danny held up. Rusty just shook his head.

"Oh." Taking a quick sip of coffee and paying their tab, the gentlemen quickly left.

* * *

"Well," Rusty said, looking at the blueprints in front of them, "If I'm reading this right and I'd like to think that I am. This is possibly the least accessible vault ever designed."

"Yup."

"You said three casinos?"

"These feed into the cages of the Mirage and MGM Grand, but every dime ends up there," Danny explained, as he pointed to several parts of the blue prints.

"The Bellagio, the Mirage and," Rusty paused and looked at Danny, "These are Terry Benedict's places."

"Yes, they are." Rusty sighed

"Do you think he'll mind," Danny asked.

"More than somewhat. You'll need at least a dozen guys do a combination of cons," Rusty explained.

"What do you think," Danny asked.

"Well off the top of my head," Rusty said thoughtfully, "I'd say, you're lookin' at a Boski, a Jim Brown, um, a Miss Daisy, two Jethros and Leon Spinks. Not to mention the biggest Ella Fitzgerald ever. Where do you think you're going to get the money to back this?"

"Well, we're hitting these three casinos," Danny reasoned, "We'll get our bankroll. Benedict's got a long list of enemies."

"Yeah, but enemies with loose cash and nothing to lose," Rusty thought out loud, "Ah, Reuben."

"Reuben." It was then that the two friends were interrupted by a night guard shining his flashlight straight at them. Danny winced at the light, putting his hand in front of his eyes.

"Oscar, lower it a bit would you," Danny asked the night guard.

"Sorry," Oscar answered, "You guys done up here? Found what you want?"

"Just going to take these home for the night, make some copies if it's alright," Danny told the night guard.

"Whatever you need," Oscar answered.

"Appreciate it," Danny said, before both he and Rusty made their way towards the elevators. The pair of friends stood quietly at the elevator doors until finally Danny had enough.

"What?"

"I need a reason," Rusty answered, looking at his friend, "Don't say money. Why do this?"

"Why not do it?" Rusty shook his head and Danny thought about it for a second.

"Because yesterday I walked out of the joint after losing five years of my life and you're cold-decking Teen Beat cover boys," Danny said, causing Rusty to agree with him, "Because the house always wins. Play long enough, you never change the stakes, the house takes you, unless when that perfect hand comes along you bet big and then you take the house. And on top of all that, I want to see my daughter and I have no idea where she is."

"Been practicing that speech, haven't you?"

"A little bit. Did I rush it? I felt like I rushed it."

"No, it's good. I liked it," Rusty admitted, "Teen Beat was a bit much. Oh, and I know how to help you with this last bit, she left early from cold-decking Teen Beat cover boys." Danny who was swinging the stolen blue prints in his hands suddenly stopped and looked at his friend.

* * *

"Natty," someone called to her as she zoned out thinking back to the day she entered the thief's life, "Natty."

"Natalie," someone called to her once more. Natalie Ocean had changed a lot in the last five years. No longer did she have the straight black hair that had been dyed to hide the terrible self-bleach job that had been done in her junior year. Her hair was back to her original chocolate brown and she now stood four inches taller than she had when her father had gone to prison.

"Natalie, I'm home," Rusty whispered in her ear, causing her to jump at the sudden feeling of his impossibly cold hands on her hips. She turned to face Rusty and that was when she saw him. Over the shoulder of her fiancé was her father. He didn't look like he had aged a day since she had last seen him.

"When did you get out," she asked, as she leaned against the counter unaware of how to greet him. When he had gone to prison he had thought that she was on her way to Princeton, but instead here he was standing in her and Rusty's crappy little kitchen in the same clothes he had worn the day he was arrested and a Princeton degree hung nowhere in sight.

"Yesterday," Danny answered looking at her, "I thought you were going to Princeton."

"Never got there," Natalie countered, "Wasn't my dream anymore. Wanted to take after my father and with my natural born skills, it-"

"Was only a matter of time," Danny finished for her, "Your mother always did say, you would end up like me." Danny walked towards his daughter and engulfed her in his arms. Natalie clutched at him as she buried her head into the crook of his neck impossibly happy to see him.

"I can't believe, you're actually here," she cried still clutching at him. Danny held her to him and rocked her as she cried, like he had done when she was little. Danny's eyes filled with tears as well and that was when he felt the coldness of her ring against his neck. Pulling her hand into his own, he looked at the large diamond ring that sat on her ring finger.

"When did this happen," Danny said, looking at his daughter and then over to Rusty remembering the way that he had greeted her. Rusty rubbed his neck sheepishly, while Natalie looked over at Rusty herself.

"You told me, my father knew," she said, looking at Rusty, "You told me that you had gone to visit him and tell him yourself that we were dating. You told me that it would be better for you to tell him in person, rather than through a letter. You said, what was it, oh yeah, you said it was impersonal." Danny looked at Rusty again and then looked at his daughter.

"Well, you see, I can't really enter the-the, Natty, really the man just got out of prison," Rusty tried, "Do you really want to spend time nagging me about not telling your father about us or do you want him to tell you the new heist he's thinkin' of doin?" Natalie looked from her fiancée to her father.

"You just got out of prison and you're already thinkin' about robbing someone," Natalie shook her head, with a smile on her face, "Okay, what is it?"

"No," Danny said, stubbornly, "No, no, no. No, I don't want you having any part in this. We are going up against Terry Benedict and I don't you having any part in this scheme. You are my daughter-"

"And that's the exact reason why I should be involved," Natalie countered, "I am your daughter. Which means that I am one of the best, and you can ask anyone Rusty and I together we can do almost anything. With you added to the mix, we can take Terry for all that he is worth and then some." Danny looked at his daughter in surprise and then looked over at Rusty.

"You taught her, how to be a thief," Danny asked, looking at his right hand man. Rusty looked at his shoes.

"No, he didn't," Natalie answered, "It came from years of watching you, so now what is this big plan of yours? Take all the money out of the vault at the Bellagio?" Danny looked at his daughter in surprise.

"How does she do that," Danny said, looking towards Rusty, "How was she able to know exactly which casino we were going to hit?" Rusty shrugged.

"It's not the first time, she's done it," Rusty commented, "She did it the night I proposed." Both Natalie and Rusty smiled as they both thought about the night that he had proposed to her on the top of the Empire State Building after hours. Danny smiled at Natalie.

"Oh yeah," Danny asked.

"Yeah," Natalie answered, "He was taking too long to spit out the words, 'will you marry me,' so I turned around and asked him if he was going to propose before or after security showed up." Natalie laughed and looked over to Rusty.

"You know I still love you," she told him, pouting her pink lips at him. Rusty smiled and went to kiss her, but thought better of doing it in front of her father.

"Okay," Danny said, with a smile, "Now, all we have to do is get Reuben on board." Natalie chuckled under her breath.

"I can already hear him."

* * *

"You're out of your goddamn minds," the older gentlemen said, looking at three of his closest friends, "Are you even listening to me? You are, all three of yous are nuts. I know more about casino security than any man alive. I invented it and it cannot be beaten for god's sake. They got cameras, they got watchers, they got locks, they got timers, they got vaults. They got enough armed personnel to occupy Paris." Reuben paused for a moment looking at both Rusty and Danny.

"Okay, bad example…"

"It's never been tried," Danny commented.

"Oh, it's never been tired. It's been tried," Reuben corrected, "A few guys even came close. You know the three most successful robberies in the history of Vegas? Number three. The bronze medal. Pencilneck grabs a lockbox at the Horseshoe; he got two steps closer to the door than any living soul before him." Reuben paused to take in the reactions of his guests there were none.

"Second most successful robbery. The Flamingo in '71. This guy actually tasted fresh oxygen before they grabbed him," Reuben continued, "Course, he was breathin' out of a hose the next three weeks, the goddamn hippie." This time Reuben didn't even look up to see if there was going to be a reaction.

"And the closest any man has ever come to robbing a Las Vegas Casino," Reuben once more continued, "Outside of Caesar's in'87. He came, he grabbed, they conquered. But, what am I sayin'? You three are pros, the best. I'm sure you can make it out of the casino at least. Of course, lest we forget, once you're out the front door, YOU'RE STILL IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FUCKING DESERT!" Danny, Rusty and Natalie didn't even bother looking at one another.

"You're right," Rusty admitted, before turning to Danny and Natalie, "He's right."

"Reuben, you're right," Danny agreed, "Our eyes are bigger than our stomachs."

"That's exactly what it is ," Natalie continued, "Pure ego, I can't believe I let them talk me into it."

"Yeah, yeah," Reuben said, waving his hands at the three of them, "Blah, blah, blah."

"Thank you so much for lunch," Danny said, rising from his chair and pulling out Natalie's, "Sorry, we bothered you."

"Look, we all go way back," Reuben said, "I owe you from that thing with the guy in the place and I'll never forget it."

"It was our pleasure."

"I'd never been to Belize."

"Natty, leave yous and Russ' address with Dominic," Reuben called after her, "I wanna send yous a late engagement gift." The three of them kept walking away when Reuben called after them.

"Look, just out of curiosity which casinos did you geniuses pick to rob," Reuben asked and Danny stops for a moment.

"The Bellagio, Mirage and the MGM Grand." Reuben quickly stops feeding himself his scrambled eggs and looks over at the three cons. His nostrils were flared and he looked extremely angry.

"Those are Terry Bendict's casinos," Reuben commented.

"Is that right?"

"I think he's right," Natalie said, looking at her father. Reuben quickly waves them back towards the patio table and looks up at them sipping his cocktail.

"That's right," Danny confirmed.

"You guys," Reuben started, "What do you got against Terry Benedict?"

"What do you have against him? That's the real question," Danny answered.

"He torpedoed my casino, muscled me out and now, he's goin' to blow it up next month to make way for another gawdy fuckin' eyesore," Reuben paused, "Don't think I don't what you're doin."

"What are we doin', Reuben," Natalie asked the older man.

"You gonna steal from Terry Benedict, you better goddamn know," Reuben warned them, "This sort of thing used to be civilized. You'd hit a guy, he'd whack you. Done. But, with Benedict…at the end of this he'd better not know you're involved, not know your names or if you can get away with it, get him to think you're dead. Because he'll kill you and THEN, he'll get to work on you. And Danny, I'm a little surprised at yous, lettin' your little girl go up against a man like Benedict."

"That's why we've got to be very careful," Danny explained, "We have to be very precise. We have to be well-funded."

"Yeah, you gotta be nuts too, and you're goin' to need a crew as nuts as yous are," Reuben said, "Now, who do you have in mind?"

"Alright, who's in," Rusty asked, as the three of them sat eating some lunch at a nice little restaurant.

"Frank C, is in," Danny answered, "Developed a bad case of bronchitis and is putting in for a transfer to warmer climates. What about drivers?"

"I talked to the Malloys yesterday-"

"The Mormon twins," Danny said, interrupting his daughter.

"They're both in Salt Lake City, six months off the job," Natalie explained, "I got the sense they're having a little trouble filling the hours."

"Electronics?"

"Livingston Dell," Rusty answered, "Livingston's been doin' freelance surveillance work of late for the FBI Mob Squad."

"How are his nerves?

"Okay," Rusty paused, "Not so bad, you'd notice."

"Munitions," Rusty asks after a moment.

"Phil Turentine," Danny answered, as if it was common sense.

"Dead," Natalie states bluntly.

"No shit? On the job?"

"Skin cancer."

"You send flowers?"

"She did," Rusty answered, "I flirted with his wife at the funeral." Danny looks at Rusty angrily for a moment before Natalie realizes why.

"Oh, it was way before we got together, Daddy." Danny stops glaring at Rusty, before he thinks of another candidate.

"Is Basher in town?"

"There might be an issue with availability," Natalie said, looking down at her watch.

"And that's all you used during the event? Nothing else," the cop snapped at the apprehended. The tall British-African man looked at the cop angrily.

"Are you accusin' me of booby-trappin'," the tall man snapped back.

"Well, how 'bout it?"

"Booby traps aren't Mr. Tarr's style," said Rusty, as he walked over to the pair, playing a detective. The cop turned to look at him.

"Isn't that right, Basher," Rusty asked the man angrily.

"That's right," Basher answered moodily, looking at the tall blonde man, as if he was the bane of his entire existence.

"Peck, ATF," Rusty explained to the cop, flashing his badge briefly to him, "Let me venture a guess; simple G4 mainliner, double coil, backwound, quick fuse with a drag under twenty feet. That's our man. Tell me something else. Have you checked this scumbag for booby traps on his person? I mean really checked and not just for weapons?"

The cop looked at him a little confused before going to grab Basher to do as Rusty suggested. Rusty quickly grabbed Basher by his collar and hoisted him around so he could pretend to frisk him.

"Will you go find Griggs and tell him I need to see him?"

"Who," the cop asked.

"Just find him, will you?" The cop quickly stalks off.

"Hey Bash," Rusty greeted, "How fast can you put something together with what I just slipped you?"

"It's done."

"Okay," Rusty said, once again grabbing Rusty once more and leading him away from the rigged squad car.

"Is Danny about," Basher asked, as they walk away, "And how's Nat?"

"She's fine and they're both waitin' around the corner."

"Ah, that's terrific," Basher said, "it'll be nice workin' with proper villains again."

"Everybody down," Rusty yelled, as the car quickly began to smoke and then explode. Both Rusty and Basher quickly ran towards where Danny and Natalie were waiting for them.

"They weren't expecting that shit."


	2. II: Stay Sharp or Get Sloppy

Chapter Two: Stay Sharp or Get Sloppy

* * *

"I still don't get why exactly we need to be at the Chinese circus," Danny said, as both Rusty and Natalie led him to their seats. Natalie smiled at her father over her shoulder.

"Daddy, will you just trust me," she asked him, as the three of them took their seats. Leaning her head against Rusty's shoulder, they began to watch the show. The show began with eight Chinese men hanging onto two very large poles doing all kinds of balance tricks as the audience watched in awe.

"Which one is the Amazing Yen," Danny asked, slightly bored with the entire show.

"The little Chinese guy," Rusty answered, causing Natalie to look up at him. Someone would think by now that Rusty would have known that all eight of the men in the act were little Chinese guys. Sometimes, she wondered how he could be a great con.

"Who else is on the list," Danny asked, leaning towards his daughter, still extremely bored with the show.

"He is the list," Natalie answered, as they watched the Amazing Yen run himself a pole and begin his trick.

"I don't know," Danny admitted, "It doesn't seem all that diff-" Danny stopped himself as he watched the Amazing Yen do a flip onto the second pole, watching as he caught himself with his legs, before flipping down onto the stage floor, leaving Danny floored and both Rusty and Natalie with smiles on their faces.

"We got a grease man," Danny relented.

"We got a grease man." And with that the three of them rose from their seats and left the circus tent.

"We need Saul," Danny commented as they walked towards Rusty's car.

"He won't do it," Rusty answered, "He got out of the game a year ago."

"He get religion?"

"No," Natalie answered, "Ulcers."

"Well, you can ask him." Natalie looks at her father before getting into the passenger seat of Rusty's car and sighs.

"Hey, I can ask him."

* * *

Natalie watched an old man walk from the betting station to the bleachers with a sort of smile on her face. She was dressed in her most conservative clothing or as some would say to be her Sunday best. Folding the race card she held in her hands in half she walked towards him, stopping to stand behind him as she watched him a peel an orange.

"I saw you at the paddock before the second race," Saul commented not even looking at her, "Beside the fountain as I placed my bet. I saw you before you even got up this morning." Natalie smiled at the old man.

"How have you been, Saul?"

"Never better," he answered.

"What's with the orange?"

"My doctor," Saul answered, "He says I need vitamins."

"So, why don't you take vitamins," Natalie counters, "They got to be easier than carrying fruit around."

"You come here to give me a physical," Saul asked.

"No, I'll leave that to your doctor," Natalie answered, "Now, come on, I talked Rusty into buying us seats and I know how much you can't resist a good seat when you're bettin' the dogs or the horses." Saul followed her up into the seats and silently they watched as they brought the dogs out.

"So," Saul began, "Are you gonna tell me or should I just tell you say no and just get it over with?"

"Saul, you're the best there is. You're in Cooperstown, what do you want?"

"Nothin'," Saul answered, "I got a duplex now. I got wall to wall and a goldfish. I'm seein' a nice lady who works the unmentionables counter at Macy's. I've changed."

"Saul, you once told me, people like us don't change," Natalie reminded him, "We stay sharp or we get sloppy. We don't change."

"Quit connin' me."

"By the way you keep watchin' the dog in the rear-"

"He breaks late, everyone knows this," Saul interrupted.

"You still haven't figured out how to rig the races in your favour," Natalie said, continuing through the interruption, "You're gettin' sloppy Saul. Maybe I should just tell my dad and Rusty that the man they idolized just isn't that man anymore." Saul looked at her a little miffed, as he turned away from the race.

"Are you gonna treat me like a grown-up at least," Saul said, still a little miffed with her, "Tell me what the scam is." Natalie smirked inwardly. She got him just where she wanted him. Slowly, she leaned in and whispered in her ear just what the scam was going to be. Saul looked at her floored, as she handed him a plane ticket that she had kept in her handbag. Bidding him a quick goodbye, Natalie got up and left.

* * *

"Saul makes ten," Danny said later that night as the three of them sat in an almost empty bar watching the preview for the fight that was going to take place in a few weeks, "Ten oughta do it, don't you think?" Rusty and Natalie said nothing.

"You think we need one more?" Once more Rusty and Natalie didn't answer.

"You think we need one more." Rusty and Natalie continued to watch the promo.

"Alright," Danny sighed, "We'll get one more."

* * *

"Hello Linus," Danny said, looking at the young rookie in front of him, "Who's is this?"

"Who are you?"

"A friend of Booby Caldwell's," Danny answered, slapping a plane ticket down onto the table in front of him, "You're either in or you're out, right now." Linus looked at the older gentlemen in front of him before taking a seat and looking down at the plane ticket that was being offered to him.

"What is it?"

"It's a plane ticket. A job offer."

"You're pretty trusting pretty fast," Linus commented, as he looked at Danny.

"Well, Bobby has a lot of faith in you," Danny answered.

"Fathers are like that." Danny looked at Linus a little intrigued by this statement.

"Oh, he didn't tell you," Linus stated, already knowing the answer, "He doesn't like me trading on his name."

"You do this job," Danny comments, "He'll be trading on yours."

"What if I say no?"

"We'll get someone else," Danny answered, "Someone else, who won't be quite as good and you can go back to feeling up stockbrokers." Linus looks down at the ticket and then at the wallet. He knew this was Danny's way of saying it was one or the other, but not both. As Danny signals a waitress for the check. Linus chooses one. As soon as Danny's attention is back on him, Linus is reading the plane ticket that was no longer under Danny's hand.

"That's the best lift, I've seen you make yet," Danny compliments.

"Las Vegas, huh?"

"America's playground."

* * *

All of the cons that had been brought together by Natalie, Rusty and Danny were standing around in Reuben's backyard sharing small chat and tiny finger foods that had been supplied for them. Stepping out of Reuben's house, Natalie made her way towards Rusty in a low-cut, short, skin tight black dress with 'fuck me' red pumps that made Linus and Livingston look as if they were about to swallow their tongues and Rusty glare at any man that dared to look at her in any way below the chin.

"Gentlemen," Natalie greeted with a smile on her face, "Welcome to Las Vegas. Everybody eaten? Good. Everybody sober? Close enough. Alright, before my father gets started, nobody's on the line here yet. What my father is about to propose to you happens to be both highly lucrative AND highly dangerous. If that doesn't sound like your…particular brand of vodka, help yourself to as much food as you like and have a safe journey. No hard feelings. Otherwise, come with me." Natalie turned to walk back to the house, but before she could Rusty grabbed her by the waist and dipped her into a hot and passionate kiss in front of everyone. Pulling away, Natalie looked up at her fiancé breathless.

"What was that for," she breathed heavily.

"Just showing them, what's mine," Rusty answered, his lips bruised from their kiss. Natalie continued to look up at him, as he placed her back on her feet, everyone still watching them except for Linus and Livingston who were now looking down at their shoes trying to get their tongues out of their throats.

"I thought that was what the ring on my finger was supposed to do," Natalie commented, placing a chaste kiss on his lips once more, before walking back towards the house, where her father was standing at the backdoor, glaring at Rusty slightly. Rusty quickly caught up with her and whispered something in her ear, which caused her face to flush slightly, her cheeks to go red and her pupils to dilate. Danny continued to glare at Rusty as the three of them made their way into Reuben's house with most of the group following them.

Linus, however stayed seated by the pool, speaking with Reuben.

"You're Bobby Caldwell's kid, huh? From Chicago?" Linus looked up at the Hugh Hefner-like dressed man that was smoking what was probably an illegal Cuban cigar.

"Yeah," Linus answered.

"It's nice there, do you like it?"

"Yeah," Linus answered once more.

"That's wonderful," Reuben stated, "Get in the goddamn house." Linus looked up the man slightly nerve wracked before getting up from his seat and following the already settled group into the house to listen in on Danny's plan.

* * *

"Before I start," Danny said, looking at the filled room, "Rusty can you give Natalie your jacket, I feel as if more than half the room is paying more attention to her…her…her right now, then what they're actually here for." Without a word, Rusty draped his suit jacket over Natalie's shoulders giving her a look that caused her eyes to go a couple of shades darker and her to quickly cross her legs.

"Gentlemen," Danny started once more, "The 3000 block of Las Vegas Boulevard, otherwise known as The Bellagio, The Mirage and The MGM Grand. Together, they're three of the most profitable casinos in all of Las Vegas." Quickly changing the screen to a floor plan of the vault.

"This is the vault at the Bellagio. It's located below the strip," Danny explained, "Beneath 200 feet of solid earth. It safe guards every dime that passes through each of the three casinos above it and we're gonna rob it."

"Smash and grab job, huh," Linus says making his presence known. Natalie looks up at him, causing a slight blush to return to his face.

"Slightly more complicated than that," she contradicts before turning back to Rusty and her father, whom has a slight smile on his face as well.

"Well, yeah."

"This is courtesy of Frank Catton," Danny says, looking back at the screen, "The new blackjack dealer at the Bellagio." Frank nods at the rest of the group.

"Okay, bad news first," Danny states, "This place houses a security system that rivals most nuclear missile silos. First, we have to get within the casino cages, which anybody will tell you, will take more than a smile."

"Well, maybe a smile from Nat in that dress and those shoes, we could get in and get out, before they knew what hit them," someone said under their breath, but neither Danny nor Rusty heard.

"Next," Danny continued, "Through these doors, each of which requires a different six digit code changed every twelve hours. Pass those lies the elevator; this is where it gets tricky, the elevator won't move without authorized finger print identification-"

"Which we can't fake," Rusty interrupts, causing Natalie to look at him.

"Obviously you don't pay very much attention to what I carry in my bag," Natalie tells him, "A little bit of scotch tape and a little pit of powdered make-up and I can get the last fingerprint that was used." Rusty stuck his tongue out at her, which she kindly returned.

"And vocal confirmation," Danny continued over Rusty and Natalie's exchange, "From both the security system within the Bellagio and the vault below."

"Which we won't get," both Rusty and Natalie confirmed.

"Furthermore," Danny said, "The elevator shaft is rigged with motion detectors."

"Meaning that if we were to manually override the lift," Natalie explained, to the less technologically sound cons in the room, "The shaft's exit will lock down automatically and we'd be trapped."

"Once, we've gotten down the shaft, though, then it's a piece of cake," Danny continued, a slight smirk on his face, "Just two more guards with Uzis and the most elaborate vault door conceived by man. Any questions?" Danny was met with complete silence. If anyone had any questions, they were keeping them to themselves. No one wanted to be the one to point out some hole in the plan. But, at last the Amazing Yen speaks up, but no one, but Rusty can understand just what he was saying.

"No," Rusty answers the man, "Tunneling is out. There are Richter scales monitoring the ground for one hundred yards in every single direction. If a groundhog were to try to nest there, they would know. Anyone else?" Once more there was silence. Natalie didn't know if it was from the fact that Rusty had just had a complete conversation with a man in two different languages or it was the fact that they were surprised her father had even suggested such a daunting task.

"You said something about good news," reminded one of the Mormon twins.

"Yes Virgil," Danny said, happy that someone finally asked, "The Nevada Gaming Commission stipulates: that a casino must hold in reserve enough cash to cover every chip at play on its floor. As I mentioned, this vault services each of the three casinos above it. That means: during the week, by law, it has to carry anywhere from sixty to seventy million dollars in cash and coin; on a weekend, between eighty and ninety million. On a fight night, like the one, two weeks from tonight, the night we're going to rob it, at least a hundred and fifty million, without breaking a sweat." Danny glances around the room and the several stunned faces that were now in place.

"Now," Natalie says, "There are twelve of us; each of us with an equal share. You do the math." Someone whistles in the background.

"Exactly," Rusty says, pointing at the person.

"I have a question," Saul says, as Danny turns to look at him, "Say we do get into the cage, and through the security doors there, and down the elevator we can't move, and past the guards with the guns and into the vault we can't open…"

"Without being seen by the cameras," Rusty adds.

"Oh right," Danny says, "Sorry, I forget to mention that."

"Yeah well," Saul continues, "Say we do all that. We're just supposed to walk outta there with a hundred and fifty million dollars in cash on us without getting stopped." Both Natalie and Danny share a look with their matching broad, sure of themselves grins. The same one that Danny had used on Rusty earlier in the week, that he had been unable to deny and the guys that were now sitting in that room won't be able to deny either, especially with Natalie dressed the way she was.

"Yeah," they responded at the same time.

"Oh okay." Saul looks at the father and daughter completely panicked and just like that, his ulcer began to flare up, placing a hand on his side, pops a Rolaid into his mouth and just sits there trying to relax.

"Alright, here's how we'll begin," Danny starts, "First task: reconnaissance. I want to know everything that's going on in all three casinos; from the rotation of the dealers to the path of every cash cart. I wanna know everything about every guard, every watcher and anyone with a security pass. I wanna know where they're from, what their nicknames are, how they take their coffee. Most of all, I want you guys to know these casinos. They were built as labyrinths, to keep people in. I want you guys I know the quick routes out."

"Second task," Natalie continues, "Power. On the night of the fight, we're gonna throw the switch on Sin City. Basher, it's your show."

"Do you want, broke, blind or bedlam," Basher asks. Natalie thinks about it for a moment a slight smirk on her face as she looks at her father, before looking back to Basher.

"How about all three?"

"Right, it's done."

"Third task," Danny continues, "Surveillance. Casino security has an eye and ear on everything and everyone, so we'll want an eye and ear on them. Livingston?"

* * *

"Well, it's not the least accessible system I've seen," Livingston explains, "But it's close. I don't suppose they have a closed-circuit feed I could tap into?" Natalie shakes her head, as she sits down beside him, causing Livingston to look like he almost swallowed his tongue again even though now she's just wearing a large sweatshirt and a pair of tights.

"No such luck," Natalie answers.

"Then this is definitely a black bag job," Livingston continues, trying to keep his eyes off Natalie since he can feel both Rusty and Danny eyes burning into the back of his head, "Do they employ an in-house technician?" Danny, Natalie and Rusty all look at one another with a slight smile remembering the intell that Frank had given them earlier.

"Two," Rusty answered, "And one of them's lonely." Standing up from her spot beside Livingston, Natalie grabs Rusty's plate away from him and puts it on the table for Livingston to pick at if he so wishes too. Rusty playfully glares at her, thinking she wants something else from him.

"You eat anymore junk food and you're going to turn into Reuben and I don't fancy seeing myself with a Reuben look alike in twenty years, even if you will be less hairy," Natalie tells him, causing Rusty to scowl at her, while both Livingston and Danny chuckle into their hands.

* * *

The in-house technician in question was back at his usual strip club, getting his usual lap dance, which he got from the same girl that he always came to see and spend his entire paycheck on. Natalie was sure; he was never going to make it out of his mother's basement and continued to feel extremely sorry for the woman, even though they had never met.

The red-headed, Charmain, whom was dressed in the sluttiest nurse's costume that money could buy leaned against him and quickly slid the security pass that was latched onto his work uniform into her pocket, as she continued to dance for him. If the man had been so drunk and mesmerised, he probably would have noticed.

"I'll be back in bit sweet cheeks," Charmain said in a sultry and flirty voice, as she backed away from him, a slight smile on her face. As she turned away from him, the smile was replaced with a smirk and she made her way into the parking lot, where Rusty was waiting for her.

"Thanks Charmain," Rusty said, as she handed him the security passed and he passed her a hundred dollar bill, "I'll have this back in hour. Say hi to your mom for me."

"Say it yourself," Charmain returns, "She'll be on stage in five minutes." Rusty watches her leave, stuffing the security pass into his pant pocket. He thinks about it for a moment before thinking about how much Natalie would kill him, only for Danny to resurrect him and kill him again. Thinking better of saying hi, he gets into his car that has a bouquet of balloons inside it and drives off.


	3. III: Like We Had Nothing to Lose

Chapter Three: Like We Had Nothing to Lose

* * *

"433, we have visual impairment on the northwest zero-five-two exit door camera." The sentry that standing closest to the impairment quickly tells the security watcher that he'll deal with it. Quickly walking over to the two gentlemen that having a little spat about whom ran into whom, he tries and tell the man he needs to remove his balloon.

"Who are callin' bud, pal," snaps one man that looked eerily like one of the Molloy twins with a ridiculous looking cowboy uniform on.

"Who are you callin' pal, friend," snaps the other man, who looks eerily like the other Molloy twin. It was a good thing that they weren't identical or this would be a serious issue for the team.

"Who are you callin' friend, jackass?" The sentry tries to get both men to forget the fight move on, and taking the balloons with them, but it was proving to be more difficult. Using the distraction, Livingston dressed like an in-house technician makes his way to the door that the sentry had been standing in front of. Using the key card that Rusty had gotten him, he lets himself in.

His nerves were beginning to get to him. This undercover thing…he never could do it. Sitting next to Natalie made him nervous even if she was just in sweats, how was he supposed to pull off undercover work? Looking down at his hand, he tried to find his way to the room that he needed.

As soon as he did, Livingston started to attach his little devices to the wires that they needed. He was getting more and more nervous as he attached each new device. Reminding himself that next time he did a job with Rusty, Danny and Natalie that there were going to be two conditions, no undercover work and no sitting next to Natalie. He thought about it for a moment, okay, maybe one condition, because the shampoo she used smelled like cherry and he liked anything cherry.

Finally finished he left the network and tried to quickly make his way out. Looking down at his hand, he realised something. The map that he had drawn himself to get in and get out, had rubbed off because of all this sweat. Shit, he was going to get lost and blow everything. Next time, he was just going to sit beside Natalie and watch the cameras. Yeah, that's exactly what he was going to do, if he didn't swallow his tongue or get killed by Rusty first.

As he walked down the hall, a sentry passed him. They exchanged a pleasant passing greeting and Livingston continued his way down the hall. He'd find his way out eventually. The sentry looked towards the door that Livingston had exited from and went to check inside.

Inside the room he finds a device that Livingston left behind. The sentry quickly exits the room to try and catch up with Livingston.

* * *

"And we're up and running," Rusty breathed out as the three of them sat on the couch looking at the monitors. Rusty was still trying to eat the fast food that he had gotten himself, but Natalie kept moving the plate farther and farther away from him. If he wasn't going to start taking care of himself, she was going to.

"Why do they always paint hallways that colour," Danny asked, as he watched the engaged couple with a slightly amused look on his face.

"They say taupe is very soothing," Rusty responded, as both Natalie and him forgot about the plate of fast food and began to cuddle on the couch. Natalie looked up at him.

"Is that why you wanted to paint our bedroom that awful colour, bec-"

"Uh oh," Danny interrupted. Danny, Natalie and Rusty watch with baited breath as Livingston gets lost trying to find the door out. He takes a left and then turns around and goes the other way realising his mistake. They watch as the sentry finally catches up with Livingston at the exit and Natalie eyes go wide. This was it, it was all going to end here.

"Hey, you forgot this," the sentry said, handing Livingston his device. Livingston looks at the man taking his device, a relieved smile on his face.

"Oh, thank you."

"How's reception on those things?"

"Excellent," Livingston said, smiling.

"Take care."

"Thanks," Livingston said once more before making his way out onto the casino floor, allowing Natalie, Rusty and Danny to all breathe a sigh of relief.

"Well.."

"Yeah."

* * *

"Fourth task: construction," Natalie listed, "We need to build an exact, working replica of the Bellagio vault."

"For practice," Rusty asked, looking at his fiancée.

"Something like that."

"Fifth task: intelligence," Danny said, looking towards Linus, "We need those codes, Linus, from the only man who has all three."

"Benedict," Linus asks.

"Learn to love his shadow," Danny responds, as he continues to look over Natalie's shoulder as she made note of all the supplies that were coming in.

"Wait, wait, wait, all I get to do is watch the guy," Linus states, as he helps Rusty bring in some of the supplies.

"You gotta walk before you can crawl." Natalie looks at her father and then over to Linus.

"Reverse that," she told him, before going back to the notes she was making and keeping every urge to strangle her father locked down as he continued to look over her shoulder.

"Sixth task: transport," Natalie says, before finally losing her cool, "Dad is there a reason you're standing right behind me reading over my shoulder and breathing down my neck?" Danny looks at Natalie before looking at Rusty and Linus, who were now clearly and not very subtly listening to their conversation.

"I was trying to make sure you do everything right," Danny said, placing a hand over his daughter's. Natalie looked at him and cocked her head to the side, an extremely fake smile on her face.

"I know how to do this, daddy," Natalie assured him, "I'm not Linus." Linus scowled as Rusty began to laugh loudly.

* * *

Natalie and Rusty had disappeared a couple of hours ago and Danny was sure that he didn't want to know what they were up to as he sat with Reuben watching Saul get fitted for the new suit that he was going to use. If anything he felt better being in the dark about that part of the relationship, the less he knew the better. And the less he knew the less he would want to kill Rusty. And the less he wanted to kill Rusty, the less his daughter would want to kill him.

"This is very nice material," Saul says, as he continues to be fitted for the new suit.

"My daughter assures me that she ordered you the best there was, Saul," Danny tells the older man, "It's imported silk."

"Very nice." Danny looks at the tailors and them Reuben.

"Gentlemen," Danny called to the tailors, "Would you excuse us, just for a second?" Danny stood as the tailors left the room, leaving Saul on the pedestal that they had put him while they altered the suit. Danny clapped his hands walking towards the older gentlemen.

"Saul, are you sure you're ready to do this?" Both men stayed silent for a moment, before Saul turned and looked down at the mastermind.

"If you ever ask me that question again, Daniel," Saul threatened, "You will not wake up the following morning and you'll be leaving your little girl behind once more." Danny's eyes widened as the older gentlemen starred him down. Danny stayed quiet for a moment, thinking about what had just been said, before turning to Reuben.

"He's ready," he whispered, walking back over to the couch. Saul turns back to the mirror and slouches slightly.

"My name is Lymen…Zerga," Saul practiced, "My name is Lymen Zerga. My name is Lymen Zerga."

* * *

Saul stood in the lobby of the hotel and looked around as if there was a bad smell directly under his nose, walking forward into the lobby towards the check-in desk flanked by both the Molloy twins, Virgil and Turk, dressed as his body guards who were hired by his granddaughter to make sure nothing happens to him while in Las Vegas on vacation.

Once they have his room assignments, all three gentlemen walk further into the casino walking straight past Natalie, Rusty and Linus, who were sitting in the lobby's café.

"Okay tell us about Benedict," Rusty told Linus, as they all subtly watch Saul and his two "body guards" walk in the hotel and disappear. Linus turns to Natalie and Rusty.

"That guy is a machine," he explains, "He arrives at the Bellagio everyday at 2pm; same car, same driver. He remembers every valets name on the way in; not bad for a guy worth three-quarters of a billion. Offices are upstairs, he works hard, hits the lobby floor at seven on the nose; spends three minutes on the floor with his casino manager."

"What do they talk about," Natalie questions.

"All business," Linus tells them, "Benedict likes to know what's going on in his casinos; likes to be in control. There's rarely an incident he doesn't know about or handle personally. He spends a few minutes glad-handing the high-rollers; fluent in Spanish, German and Italian. He's taking Japanese lessons, and he's getting pretty good at it. Out by seven thirty, when an assistant hands him a black portfolio. Contents are the day's take and new security codes. Then he heads to the restaurant; like I said a machine."

"And that portfolio contains all the codes to all the cage doors," Rusty confirmed. Linus nods, while Natalie once more stopped Rusty from shoving a roll into his mouth. Handing Linus the roll, which he promptly throws out, she begins to fix Rusty's tie as if making sure he's properly dressed for dinner.

"Two minutes after they change, he's got them in his hand," Linus continued, "I tell you, you guys really can pick him. This guy is as smart as he is ruthless. The last guy they caught cheating in here, not only did Benedict sent him up for ten years, he got the bank to seize the guy's home AND then he bankrupted-"

"His brother-in-law's tractor dealership, we heard," Rusty interrupted, as Natalie continued to make sure he doesn't eat another roll.

"He doesn't just go after your knees, he goes after your livelihood. And the livelihood of everyone you ever met."

"You scared?"

"You suicidal?"

"Only in the morning," Rusty and Natalie say together, before looking at one another with a slight smile.

"Now, what," Rusty asked, looking around the room.

"Now comes the girl," Linus explained, "She comes down after him, if they're in a snit."

"Like you," Rusty mused, looking at Natalie before looking at their stairs.

"Where she come from?"

"The museum up there," Linus continued, "She's the curator. Oh, here she is. This is the best part of my day." Both Natalie and Rusty look up at the stairs and it causes his mouth to drop and her to promptly look away from the stairs and start to pick at the very real crumbs that had stained Rusty's suit. As she walks by them, Rusty pulls Natalie into a quick kiss, so that her mother doesn't see either one of them. As soon as she's passed them, Linus spoke once more, as both Rusty and Natalie closed their eyes. Natalie could already feel a headache coming on.

"I still don't know if we can use her yet," Linus explains, "Actually, I haven't even caught her name."

"Tess," Rusty tells him, looking down at a very pale and very stoned-face Natalie.

"Huh," Linus asked, looking at the pair.

"Her name is Tess," Natalie explained, but it was barely above a whisper, "And she's my mother."

* * *

Natalie kicked off her stilettos as she got out of Rusty's car and stomped straight into the warehouse and straight towards her father, who was watching the rest of the crew put together the fake vault. Rusty was hot on her trail, but there was something that was driving Natalie and that drive was allowing her to move just a little faster than him…and now, that Rusty thought about it, she hadn't been the one scarfing down the free dinner rolls. She was right; he needed to start eating better.

"We need to talk," Natalie snapped at her father. Danny looked at her and then back at the vault.

"Can it-"

"Now," Natalie cut across, and from the look that he was receiving from his daughter, he knew better than to deny her a little chat. Rusty and Natalie led Danny away from the fake vault and the rest of the crew, not wanting to be overheard.

"Tell me this is not about her," Natalie said, turning to look at her father once they reached a quiet destination away from eavesdropping personnel, "Or Rusty and I are walking. We are walking off this job right now."

"Who?"

"Mom," Natalie snapped back, "Terry Benedict. Tell me this is not about screwing the guy that is screwing mom and is apparently my step-father."

"You didn't know," Danny said, looking at his very angry daughter.

"I haven't spoken to her since she left," Natalie said, looking at her father, "I didn't want anything to do with her. She was the one who decided to leave. Now, tell me."

"It's not about that," Danny assured her and then bit his lip, "It's not entirely about that." Natalie started to shake her head, as Rusty placed his hand on her shoulder trying to calm her down. Tess was a touchy subject for Natalie.

"Rusty, you said you need a reason and this one's mine. Do you remember when we got started in this business," Danny said, now trying to get his friend and soon to be son-in-law on his side, "We said we were going to play the game-"

"Like we had nothing to lose," Rusty joined in.

"Well, I lost something," Danny explained to Natalie, "I lost someone and I lost so much time with you. That's why I'm here. I want that time back." Natalie looked up at her father as Rusty looked towards the guys that stood in the warehouse.

"Okay, here's the problem," Rusty pointed out, "Now we're stealing two things and if push comes to shove, if you can't have both what are you going to choose?"

"And remember, mom and I don't split eleven ways," Natalie said, looking at her father.

"If everything goes to plan," Danny said, looking at his little girl, "Princess, I won't be the one that makes the choice." Natalie looked up at her father once more. She hadn't heard that nickname in years and had strictly banned Rusty from ever calling her that. She was not a woman who had daddy issues. With one more look at her father, she walked away. Both Rusty and Danny watched as she did.

"How'd she look," Danny asked, looking back at Rusty.

"She looks good," Rusty answered, still watching as Natalie walked away rubbing her forehead.

"Not my daughter," Danny said, "How did Tess look?"

"Oh," Rusty said, still watching Natalie until she disappeared, "She could've been happier."

"Thanks."

* * *

"Weak stomach, Mr. Zerga," asked a man that was sitting beside Saul, as he watched him pop a Rolaid into his mouth.

"I don't believe in weakness," Saul explained to the man, "It costs too much. I don't believe in questions, either." The high roller sitting beside Saul shuts up quickly. Looking up from the table, Saul sees Terry Benedict in his per feral vision on his way in. Right on schedule, just like Linus had assured he would be.

"Eddie," Benedict called to his Pit Boss, "Anything for me?"

"Mr. Zerga, sir, Lymen Zerga," Eddie pointed out to Benedict, "In the third position. He wishes to speak with privately."

"Who is he?"

"Businessman of some kind, working mostly in Europe," Eddie explained, "He's very vague, but I asked around. Word is he deals primarily in arms; one of the biggest in the world. His granddaughter and her husband are poised to take over the company in a few years, so the husband set up this vacation for him, in thanks for giving it to them."

"Zerga," Benedict mused, "Never heard of him."

"Yes, sir," Eddie answered, "That's why I don't doubt it."

"He's staying here?"

"Checked in two nights ago into the Mirador suite with two bodyguards hired by the granddaughter, sir," Eddie explained, before pointing to Virgil, who was standing at attention beside Turk, who was pretending to be on the boss with his employer (Natalie), "Apparently the man's health is failing and she wants to make sure that nothing happens to him until her and her husband can join him next weekend."

"How's he doing?"

"Up," Eddie stated, "Almost two hundred."

"Good for him…"

* * *

Tess was sitting at her and Terry's regular table at the restaurant sipping at her usual glass of wine. Looking at her watch, she looked to the seat beside her. Benedict was late, well very close to be late and he was almost never late. It didn't surprise her when a pair of hands slipped over her shoulders and caressed her skin.

"You're thirty seconds late," she started as she turned around, "I was about to send a search-" She jumped as she spotted her ex-husband. Danny smiled at her, as he continued to caress her skin.

"Hello Tess."

"What are you doin' here?"

"I'm out," he stated.

"You're out?"

"Of prison," he confirmed, "You must remember the day, I went for cigarettes and never came back. I know our daughter did, she had to drive herself back home."

"I don't smoke," Tess snapped, "Don't sit." As Danny sat down, Tess thought back to the last thing he said.

"How is she," Tess asked, thinking about the daughter that she hadn't seen since Danny had gone to prison.

"Angry she wasn't invited to your wedding," Danny stated, "Engaged."

"To whom?"

"Rusty," Danny stated once more, "You remember Rusty?" Tess nodded in disgust, she always knew that their daughter would end up exactly like her father and now she was engaged to someone exactly like him, and worse, she was engaged to his best friend and right hand man.

"Now," Danny started, "they tell me I paid my debt to society."

"Funny, I never got a check," Tess snapped at her ex-husband. Danny smiled slightly, before pointing down at Tess' left hand.

"You're not wearing your ring…" Tess looked down at her left hand as well, licking her lip.

"I sold it," she told him, "You're not my husband or didn't you get the papers."

"My first day inside."

"I told you, I'd write." Danny and Tess continued to sit in silence, a slight smile on Danny's face as he looked at woman he was so deeply in love with.

"Danny," Tess paused, "Go. Now, before…"

"What," Danny asked, "Benedict?" He turned to waiter and asked for two whiskeys each with a different amount inside. Tess continued to glare at him.

"Danny…"

"Tess, you're doin' a great job curetting the museum," Danny congratulated, as Tess took an annoyed breath, "The Vermeer is quite good; simple, but vibrant. Although his work definitely fell off as he got older."

"Remind you of anyone?"

"And I still get Monet and Manet confused. Which one married his mistress," Danny asked.

"Monet."

"Right," Danny agreed, "Manet had syphilis."

"They also painted occasionally," Tess stated annoyed. Danny smiled at her once more.

"Alright, I'll make this quick," Danny said, the smile slipping from his face, "I came here for you and for Natalie-"

"She's here," asked Tess, as she looked around the restaurant.

"Well, she's in Las Vegas," Danny explained, "Not in the restaurant. I want to get on with my life and I want you both with me."

"You're a thief and a liar," Tess stated bluntly, "And our daughter has turned out exactly like you."

"I only lied about being a thief, but I don't do that anymore."

"Steal?"

"Lie," Danny corrected.

"I'm with someone now, who doesn't have to make that kind of distinction," Tess snapped at her ex-husband.

"No, he's very clear on both."

"You know what your problem is-"

"I only have one," Danny asked.

"You've met too many people like you," Tess continued, "I'm with Terry now."

"Does he make you laugh?"

"He doesn't make me cry," Tess snapped, "And he doesn't turn my own daughter against me."

"I never turned her against you, Tess," Danny replied, "The moment you walked out the door and didn't invite her to your wedding was the day she made up her mind. She misses you Tess, she'll never admit it, but she misses you."


	4. IV: Saturday is Yours

Chapter Four: Saturday is Yours

* * *

"Mr. Benedict," Saul said, looking at the younger man as both Virgil and Turk watched from a safe unsuspicious distance, "The fight is Saturday night is it not?"

"Yes," Benedict confirmed, "Would you like some tickets?"

"Oh no, no hand to hand combat does not interest me," Saul explained to him, "I have a package arriving here that evening; my briefcase, standard size the contents of which are very valuable to me and my family. I would have travelled with it, but my granddaughter does not trust commercial airlines with such an important family heirloom."

"I'll put it in the house safe for you."

"The house safe is for brandy and my wife's pearls," Saul states testily, "I'm afraid my granddaughter and I need something more secure."

"Mr. Zerga, I can assure you that our house safe is…" Benedict trails off as Saul gives him a steely look. This is not a man that Benedict should mess with and Benedict sees this quite clearly.

"I can assure you, Mr. Benedict," Saul countered, "That your generosity in this manner will not go over looked. Now, what can you offer me besides the safe?"

* * *

"See the people that you and our daughter steal things from," Tess explained, "They have insurance to compensate them. They get made whole again. I had to leave New York to get away from what happened! Our daughter, my only child won't even talk to me! How am I supposed to get my five years back with her, Danny?"

"You can't," Danny answered, "But, what you can do is not throw away another five with her."

"You don't know anything about-"

"Listen, you don't love me anymore," Danny stated, leaning towards her, "You want to make a life with someone else? Fine, I'll have to live with that, but not him! And you have to at least try with Natalie…you can't just write her off because she's like me."

"Spoken like a true ex-husband."

"I'm not joking, Tess."

"I'm not laughing, Danny," Tess snapped, "You have to admit there's a conflict of interest when you give me advice about my love life or how to be a parent to our grown up daughter."

"Yes," Danny agreed, "But, that doesn't mean that I'm wrong."

"Do you remember what I said to you the day that Natalie was born?"

"You said that I better know what I'm doing," Danny remembered.

"Do you," Tess asked, "Now? Because, truly, you should walk out the door if you don't."

"I know what I'm doing."

"What are you doing," asked Benedict, whom had finally joined Tess at their usual table.

"Just catching up," Danny said, standing from the seat that Benedict usually occupied.

"Terry, meet my ex-husband," Tess introduced the two men.

"Danny Ocean," Danny said, introducing himself to the man he was going to be stealing from in only a few nights.

"Natalie's father," Benedict stated. Danny nodded.

"Oh, you know our daughter," Danny asked, looking at the mind calmly.

"Only from what I've heard from Tess," Benedict explained, before turning to speak to Tess to explain his late arrival, "Forgive me for being late. A guest required my attention."

"That's fine," Tess assured, "Danny was just walking through the restaurant and spotted me."

"Is that right?"

"Yeah, imagine the odds."

"Of all the gin joints in all the world," Benedict joked, "You recently were released from prison is that correct?"

"That's right."

"How does it feel to be out?"

"About the same," Danny told him.

"Danny, was just about-"

"I was just stopped to say hi to Tess for old time's sake," Danny said.

"Stay and have a drink."

"He can't." "I can't."

"Natalie always did hate when we did that," Danny chuckled, as he watched Benedict grab Tess' hand, which she let him gladly.

"Well, then I don't imagine, we'll be seeing you again, Mr. Ocean," Benedict said, not even looking at Danny.

"You never know."

"I know everything that happens in my hotels."

"So, I should put the those towels back," Danny joked.

"No, the towels you can keep."

"Good to see you, Tess," Danny said, clapping his hands together.

"Take care, Danny."

"Terry."

"Danny."

* * *

"Saturday day is yours," Natalie tells the group, "Do whatever you like with it."

"Call is at five thirty," Rusty began, letting them know their schedule, "Make-up and costume. Saul's package arrives at seven-fifteen, and Linus grabs our codes. All goes well there and we're a go. Seven-thirty Virgil and Turk deliver Yen and we're committed. From that point, we have thirty minutes to blow the power or he suffocates." The entire group looks at the miniature vault that had been built.

"Once the electricity goes, all access points to the vault and its elevator will automatically lock down for two minutes," Natalie explained to them, "That's when we make our move…"

* * *

The entire group watches in silence as two guards wheel in a cash cart and leave it in the middle of the vault's center before marching out once more. They close the thick metal door behind them. Once the vault clicks, every single eye in the room is on the cash cart.

The false top of the cart springs open, Yen, folded neatly inside.

"Okay," Rusty shouts to Yen, "they've put you in the middle of the room, far from everything. You have to get from there to the door without touching the floor. What do you do?"

"Ten says he shorts it," Turk announces, dressed up in a security guards uniform; the rest of the group standing with him.

"Twenty," they all answer, taking his bet. Watching Yen intently, the group watches as he sets himself up for a jump. Yen takes a deep breath and jumps. He lands perfectly on top of surrounding cages. The group applauds as Natalie watches with a slight smile.

"No way in or out boys," Basher shouts making his presence known. The entire group turns to look at him with concerned looks on their faces. Everything was supposed to go down tomorrow and now a problem was starting to present itself.

"Yeah, we're in deep shit," Basher announces once more walking closer to them. Natalie gets one whiff of him and immediately places her hand over her mouth gagging. Rusty looks at her worriedly for a second before she bolts out of the room away from Basher and into the closest ladies' room.

Linus grabs a hose and begins to hose down Basher, almost gagging himself from the smell.

"That proxy demo crew didn't use a coaxial lynch to back the mainline," Basher shouted. His accent coming off angry and thick as he spits out water as Linus continues to hose him down along with the story of just how his afternoon went. He didn't care if anybody could understand him, he was fucking pissed.

"Onioned the mainframe couplet," Basher complained, "Onioned it right up."

"You understand any of this," Reuben asks outloud.

"I'll explain later," Livingston assures him.

"Listen, they're so pony that they blew the backup grid one by one," Basher said, once he calmed down a tiny bit and Linus stopped hosing him down, "Like a bunch of dominoes."

"Basher," Natalie called, finally rejoining them, though she looks slightly paler then she did before, "What happened?"

"They did the same of what I would've done," Basher explained, "Only they did it by accident. Problem is, is that they know their weakness and are sorting it out. They're fixin' it."

"So?"

"So, unless we intend to do this job in Reno," Basher snapps, "We're in Barney." The entire crew looks at Basher confused by the reference.

"Barney Rubble," Basher tries, but they still look at him confused.

"Trouble," he tries again, slightly angry that no one understands him.

"Well," Danny says, turning to Rusty, "We could always…"

"By tomorrow," Rusty asks, and then shakes his head.

"Hang on a minute," Basher coaxes, "Hang on, we could use a pinch." Rusty shrugs unsure of what that was.

"What's a pinch," Danny asks, slightly confused. Natalie smiles, following Basher's line of thought. Basher smiles at her return. At least one of them knew what he was talking about.

"A pinch is a device which creates like a cardiac arrest for any broad band electrical circuitry," Basher explained, still Danny and Rusty looked at him completely confused, while both Livingston and Natalie were nodding along.

"Better yet, a pinch is a bomb," Natalie reasoned, trying to get her father and fiancé to understand, "But, without the bomb."

"See when a nuclear bomb detonates," Basher continues, "It unleashes an electromagnetic pulse which shuts down any power source within its blast radius. That tends not to matter in most cases because the nuclear weapon destroys anything you might need power for anyway."

"Now a pinch creates a similar electromagnetic pulse, but without the headache of mass destruction and death," Natalie continues, "So instead of Hiroshima, you get the seventeenth century."

"How long," Rusty asks, still taking in Natalie's very pale complexion.

"About thirty seconds," Basher answered, also taking in Natalie's pale complexion, "Are you alright hun?" Natalie nods her head.

"It's just the smell," she explains, "I'll be fine."

"Could a pinch knock out the power of an entire city," Danny asks, getting them back on topic, "Like for instance…"

"Las Vegas," Basher answers with a nod, "But there's only one pinch in the world big enough to manage it." Danny, Rusty and Natalie exchange a look.

"Where?"

"Pasadena."

* * *

A white van pulled up to the California Institute of Advance Science's east entrance. Inside were Virgil, Turk, Linus, Yen and Basher.

"Why didn't Natalie come with," Basher asked, looking directly at Danny, "It's not like her to miss out on something like this." Danny smiled, but then frowned.

"Rusty and I didn't like the way she looked last night," Danny explained, as Turk pulled into the facility, "She still looked a little pale when Rusty woke her up this morning and she almost passed out trying to get out of bed. After I took a look at her, there was no way she was coming this morning, we need her for tonight and I don't need her passing out because she's not feeling well. Tess would have my head." Basher looked at Danny with a sort of smirk in place.

"You have no trouble in crossing the line of fellow con and loving father, do you?" Danny shook his head in amusement.

"It helps having Rusty around," Danny admitted, "I told him to tell her, she wasn't coming."

"So, she'll rip his head off and not yours," Basher added, before chuckling.

"Gets him ready for marriage." The entire van started to chuckle slightly as Turk backed in towards the facility. Danny shared a look with Yen and Basher.

"Let's go," Danny announced, pushing the van doors open, "Yen, Basher come on." Going to close the doors behind him, Danny saw that Linus was going to follow.

"Where are you goin'?"

"Coming with you."

"No," Danny answered strictly.

"No," Linus complained.

"No."

"Don't leave me with these guys," Linus shouted after Danny, whom had already made his way towards Basher and Yen. Linus watched as the three broke their way into the facility before turning to Turk and Virgil, who were sitting in the front seats. They were already arguing.

"Alright start."

"Okay, I already got one."

"What you're not even going to think of one?"

"No, I've already thought of one. I'm not going to think of another one."

"So, you're thinking of one right now?"

"No, I'm already done thinking about it, I already have it in my head."

"Are you man?"

"Yes. Nineteen.'

"Are you alive?"

"Yes. Eighteen."

"Evel Knievel."

"Shit! Okay, you're turn…"

* * *

Linus continued to watch out the backdoor. The Molloy twins were driving him insane. They're constant arguing was making his head hurt and he, now, realised why no one else had volunteered to go on this little trip in Natalie's place.

Placing his head in his hands, he ran his fingers through his hair. They were getting worse. He had no idea how they managed it, but they were getting worse. Finally, Linus had enough. Opening the back door, he bolted from the van and into the building after Yen, Danny and Basher, only for them to come out seconds later.

Quickly loading the device into the van, Danny, Yen and basher climbed into the back and Turk drove off; none of them aware that Linus was no longer in the van. Basher began listing off the things he was going to need, as Danny began to look around the tiny van.

"Where's Linus?"

"What?"

"Where's Linus," Danny asked again, being the only one to realise that he was no longer there. Turk slammed on the breaks, as everyone began to look around. Slidding the side door open, everyone began to look at the building to see if they could spot him anywhere.

"There he is," Danny said, finally spotting him running up the staircase.

"Would you look at this donut," Basher asked, completely annoyed with the rookie.

Yen said something in Chinese, but nobody in the van could understand him.

"Shouldn't somebody help him," Virgil spoke up, as they spotted the security guards trying to head him off.

"That's great idea," Basher announced sarcastically, "Why don't we all jump out of the van and we can all get nicked." The group was silent as Linus, who was still inside the building realised that security was on his tale, so he did the only thing he could think of; broke a window to escape.

"Back it up," Danny ordered, slamming the side door shut, as they watched the window shatter and Linus make his way onto the cover they had been under just moments ago. Turk shifts the van into reverse and speeds back to their original position. Linus looks in between the van and the security guards that were also making their way towards him. Making a quick decision he jumps onto the roof of the van.

"Let him in," Danny ordered, as both Basher and Yen open the backdoors, but Linus rolls down the front of the car and opens the passenger side door to get inside. Virgil quickly moves to the back, allowing Linus to take his seat. Turk speeds away, so none of them get caught, as everyone starts yelling at Linus. Slamming on of the backdoor shut, Yen tries and gets the other one as Turk takes a quick turn causing the door to slam close on Yen's hand.

"If I say stay in the van, you stay in the van," Danny snaps at Linus as they make their quick getaway, "You lose focus in this game for even a moment and somebody gets hurt."

"I got it."

* * *

"Where are they," Reuben complains to both Saul and Natalie. Saul is sitting on one couch watching TV, while Natalie is lying down on another one under several blankets and bucket beside her head. Rusty hands her a glass of flat ginger ale and some soda crackers.

"Are you going to be okay," he asked her, pushing her sweaty hair away from her forehead. She nods at him.

"A couple more crackers and glasses of flat ginger ale," Natalie answered with a weak smile, and I should be ready to go by tonight."

"That's what I want to know," Reuben continues, "Where the hell are they?"

"They will be here," Saul answered Reuben using his Lymen Zerga voice.

"They will be here," Reuben imitates, "Schmuck." Natalie rolls her eyes and suddenly lurches forward and towards the bucket. Rusty rushes forward to grab her loose hair, but nothing happens. Natalie places the bucket back at her head and lies back down. Suddenly Rusty's cell beeps. Looking at Natalie, he places a quick kiss on her forehead.

"I have to go meet your father," Rusty explains, "Are you sure you're going to be okay?" Natalie waved him off and placed her arm over her eyes. She hated being sick.

* * *

"You boys have a nice trip," Rusty asked, as all three of them get into the elevator. Neither Danny nor Linus say a single word and don't even bother to look at one another. Rusty could feel the tension.

"How's Natalie," Danny asks, finally breaking the silence. Rusty shakes his head.

"Worse than this morning, but continues to be adamant that she'll be better by tonight," Rusty explains, "My thoughts, if she didn't stop puking her guts before we get back to the hotel suite, then we have a serious issue." Both Danny and Rusty share a look.

* * *

'We have a problem," Linus announced as soon as the three of them made their way into the suite. Instantly both Rusty and Danny think that it's Natalie.

"What? Is she okay?"

"I'm fine," Natalie shouts, sounding better than she had before Rusty went to go and meet Danny and Linus, "But, we have a bigger problem and it's the pain in the ass that I call my over pretentious, security obsessed, controlling step-father."

"Danny, you've been red flagged," Livingston expanded, "It means that the moment that you set foot on that casino floor, they'll be watching you like hawks; hawks with video cameras.

"That's a problem," Danny agrees, handing the paper to Rusty, who was sitting beside the still covered in blankets, Natalie.

"Saul," Natalie complains, "Will you turn that off?"

"I'll turn it off when I'm ready to turn it off," Saul replied, still using his Lymen Zerga voice.

"Saul," Rusty shouts, annoyed with the situation.

"It's off, it's off."

"Any idea how this happened," Natalie asked her father, her arms crossed in front of her chest, a permanent glare fixed on her face.

"No," Danny lied.

"Oh come on," Linus interrupts, "He's been chasin' your mother. The two of them got into an argument two nights ago. I was tailin' you."

"And who told you to tail my father?"

"I did," Rusty answered, causing both Danny and Natalie to look at him. The glare on Natalie's face disappeared for a moment in shock, before it was there once more; turning her glare back to her father.

"I was concerned that you couldn't leave Tess alone," Rusty explained turning to Danny.

"Who's Tess?"

"My wife."

"Ex-wife," Natalie corrected.

"Tess is here," Saul asked.

"I'm sorry," Rusty apologized, "I didn't know if it would sting you, but it did."

"You're out, daddy."

"He's out," Reuben shouted in surprise.

"It's either that or we call the whole thing off," Natalie responded still glaring at her father for making her and Rusty make this decision, "His involvement puts us all at risk."

"This is not your call," Danny snapped at his daughter.

"Oh, daddy, you made it my call," Natalie countered, "When you put mom before any of us, you made it mine."

"This is my job," Danny argued.

"Not anymore," Rusty stated.

"Wait, wait, wait," Reuben stuttered in shock, "He can't just be out? Who's gonna trigger the vault with Natty?" Natalie and Rusty shared a look before Natalie stood and looked at Linus. Linus looked up at her in surprise.

"Kid, you up for it," Natalie asked, her hands on her hips. Linus looked between Danny, Natalie and Rusty before making his decision.

"I can do it." Natalie offered him a small smile.

"Done," she announced, "Locate the others and let them know we have a change in plan. Curtain goes up at seven."

"Tess is with Benedict now," Saul asks out load, "She's too tall for him."


	5. V: That's My Cue

Chapter Five: That's My Cue

* * *

"Where are you gonna put your hands," Natalie asks Linus. Linus places them in front of him. Natalie shakes her head.

"No good," she tells him. Linus sighs in exasperation and goes to touch his tie.

"Don't touch your tie," she warns him, following his line of thought, "Look at me." Linus looks up at her with his hands at his sides and that feeling of wanting to swallow his tongue was back. Natalie was dressed in an elegant red dress; perfect for her seeing her mother for the first time in five years.

"Okay, I ask you a question and you have to think of the answer, where do you look," Natalie asks Linus, as he pulls her hair forward to allow Rusty to place her diamond necklace on. Linus looks at the ground.

"No good," she explains to him, "You look down they know you're lying." Linus nods at her and then looks up.

"And up, they know you don't know the truth," she smiles at him. At this time Linus isn't sure of whether he'll pass out from nervousness and anxiety or he'll swallow his tongue first. Hell, he could even die a slow and painful death at the hands of Rusty if he kept looking at Natalie, like she had instructed him too.

"Don't use seven words when four will do," she instructs him, "Don't shift your weight. Look always at your mark, but don't stare. Be specific, but not memorable. Be funny, but don't make him laugh. He's got to like you, and then forget you the moment you've left his sight." Grabbing her clutch purse and silver shawl, Natalie gives Rusty a quick kiss on the lips and Linus a smile and thumbs up before leaving the room.

"And for god's sake," Rusty tells him, as they both watch her leave, "Don't under any circumstances-"

"Rus," Livingston called.

"Yeah?"

"Can you take a look at this?"

"Sure," Rusty answered, before leaving the room and Linus hanging on the last piece of advice, that unbeknownst to him was the last piece of advice. Don't leave him hanging.

* * *

"Saul," Natalie calls as she passes by his room. As she looks inside, she seems him sitting on the bed, feeling his head with his eyes closed.

"Saul," she calls to him once more. Saul opens his eyes and rubs the top of his bald head, breathing heavily.

"It's time," she tells him. Saul nods at her and stands up slowly putting on his expensive suit jacket. She nods at him, while watching him nervously. Taking a few moments to compose himself, Saul fixes his tie and looks at himself in the mirror. Taking a deep breath, he walks away from the mirror and away from his hotel room.

"Okay," he says out loud, "Let's do it."

* * *

Benedict walks out of his hotel and towards Mr. Zerga who is waiting patiently for the package that his granddaughter had sent for him. He had sent his bodyguards to pick it up from the airport early this afternoon and now that everything was clear, it would be making its way to the Bellagio.

"Mr. Zerga," Benedict greeted as the elderly gentlemen gets off the phone.

"Mr. Benedict."

"It's a very busy night for me," Benedict stated, "Are we on schedule?"

"I have no reason to suspect otherwise," Zerga answered, "My granddaughter assured me that our couriers will be here momentarily." As he said this, Virgil and Turk, dressed as private body guards pulled in front of them and got out. Attached to Virgil's wrist with a pair of black, steel handcuffs was the briefcase in question. An exchange of words is made between the three men, Turk hands Saul a red rose boutonniere. Zerga smiles and clips the boutonniere onto his breast pocket.

"My granddaughter's mark and her favourite flower and sign of love," Zerga explained to Benedict, "A way to tell me that these are in fact what I am looking for and that she can't wait to see me." Zerga nods and Turk unclips the briefcase from around Virgil's wrist and locks it onto Mr. Zerga's.

Benedict and Saul make their way into the hotel flanked by both of their security teams. As they're passing by the slots, Benedict notices Danny sitting there with a woman in a red dress with a white rose corsage that unknown to him is Natalie. Danny looks down as they continue to make their way through the casino. Benedict nods at one of the members of his security detail.

"Find Mr. Walsh and tell him that Mr. Ocean is in the west slots," Benedict orders and the security guard quickly nods his head and makes his way to the casino manager. Turning towards Mr. Zerga, Benedict nods to Turk and Virgil.

"I'm afraid that I can't have any private security personnel in the casino cages, "Benedicts explains, "I hope you don't mind."

"No," Saul states, "Of course not." Saul dismisses both Turk and Virgil as a man from Saul's past makes an appearance and sadly he recognizes him. He keeps calling Saul's name as the large group walks past him. Both Turk and Virgil move fast, grabbing the patron quickly and keep him from stepping too close to their "employer." Turk and Virgil look at Saul awaiting their orders. Saul waves his hand in a dismissed manner.

"Mikael, Vladmir," Saul orders. Both Turk and Virgil remove the drunk patron from Saul vicinity before he does anymore damage. Benedict watches as Turk and Virgil remove the man.

"Mr. Benedict," Saul calls, getting Benedict's attention back on him, "Please, I have never enjoyed the touch of steel to my skin." Benedict watches Saul for a moment, before placing his cigar back in his mouth and they make their way towards the casino cages.

* * *

Saul opens the briefcase to reveal to four very large emeralds. Benedict looks at them appreciatively.

"Lift them up, please," Benedict asks as he looks at the briefcase. Saul does as he asks, as Benedict pulls the briefcase towards him, checking for anything that could possibly do any kind of harm to him, the vault or his casino's security.

"Alright, Mr. Zerga," Benedict concedes, "I acknowledge that your briefcase does not contain any dangerous or illicit material and I further agree to take custody of said briefcase and store it in my secured vault for a period of twenty-four hours after which your granddaughter will pick them up. Now, I cannot allow you to actually accompany the briefcase into the vault-"

"Why not," Saul interrupts.

"Insurance for one, security another," Benedict listed off, "But most of all I just don't trust you." Mr. Zerga looks at Benedict with a steely gaze for a moment, before offering the man a small smile. A knock at the door, interrupts the conversation. At the door is the casino manager, Mr. Walsh.

"Excuse me," Benedict states, before walking over to Mr. Walsh.

"I put two plainclothes on Ocean," Walsh whispered, "He's at the Keno Bar now." Benedict nods and they both make their way towards Saul.

"Mr. Zerga, this is my casino manager, Mr. Walsh," Benedict said, introducing the two men, "If you will allow, he will arrange for your briefcase to be stored inside out vault while you watch on a security monitor. Those are my terms. Yes or no?" Saul looks in between the two men for a moment before shrugging.

"You leave me no choice."

* * *

"Deep breaths," Livingston soothed Linus through the earpiece, "You'll do fine."

"Thanks."

"No sweat, you're a natural," Livingston paused for a moment, "But, don't screw up." Linus looked at the camera just above him knowing that both Livingston and Rusty were watching. He gives them an un-amused look.

Inside the hotel suite, Virgil and Turk, dressed as waiters make their way towards Rusty, Livingston and Yen, who was wrapping his injured hand.

"You ready," Rusty asked Yen, as they cleared the fake cash cart.

* * *

"Here's our security centre," Benedict explained to Mr. Zerga, "Where we over see all gaming in the casino as well as our vault. You'll be able to monitor your briefcase from here."

"Don't let me keep you," Saul says, as he watches Benedict look at his watch.

"Mr. Zerga," Benedicts bids with a nod.

"Mr. Benedict." Benedict makes his way out of the security centre and out of the casino cages. He's only steps out the door when his assistant hands him the black portfolio and Linus makes his way towards him.

"Mr. Benedict," Linus calls, as the man looks down at the portfolio. Pausing for a moment he looks up from the portfolio and Linus.

"Sheldon Wills. Nevada Gaming Commission," Linus explains, "I'm afraid I need two minutes of your time?"

"Of course," Benedict concedes, looking Linus up and down, "Anything for the NGC."

"Thank you," Linus says, leading him towards Pit 5. In the distance, Danny watches as Linus leads him towards Frank's table. Not far behind him are the two plainclothes that Mr. Walsh set out to tail him not too long ago. Natalie takes a sip of her drink as her mother walks by. Danny looks over his shoulder just in time to see her pass by the slot machines. Offering his daughter a smile, he grabs her hand and places in the crook of his elbow.

"Here we go," she said, a hint of humor in her voice, "No turning back now."

* * *

"Okay," Rusty said, as all four of them watch as Yen gets inside the cart, "When do you make the deposit?"

"Not until we get your signal."

"Hey," Turk jokes, "What do we look like, a couple of peckerwood jackasses or something?" Not one person responds, the outfits were answer enough. Rusty looks at his watch as Yen situates himself inside the cart.

"Amazing," Rusty states, "How's it feel? You alright? Want something to read? A magazine?" From out of the cat protrudes one tiny hand telling Rusty just exactly what he can do with his suggestion of magazine. Rusty chuckles.

"Natalie would have found it funny," Rusty jokes, "Okay, I'm counting down. Thirty minutes of breathing time starts…now." Sealing Yen into the cart, Rusty continues to look at his watch, as Virgil and Turk redress the cart and make their way out of the hotel suite.

* * *

"This just came to our attention this morning, Mr. Benedict," Linus explained, "Apparently he's got a record longer than my…it's long." Mr. Benedict looks Linus up and down once more as he opens up the black portfolio once more. Linus tries extremely hard not to look suspicious as he does so.

"If he is who you say he is," Benedict shrugged. Both men stand in silence as Frank is brought over to them. Benedict takes the codes out of the portfolio and places them in his inner jacket pocket.

"You've been at the commission long?"

"About eighteen months," Linus lies.

"I know Hal Lindley over there," Benedict muses, "You work with him at all?" Linus looks down for a moment, knowing this a test.

"Not since he died last year," Linus states sadly. Benedict nods and Linus breathes an inward sigh of relief. He passed. The pit boss now with Frank in tow returns to the pair.

"Ramon Escalante," Linus asks looking at Frank now, while flashing his badge to his colleague, "Sheldon Wills, Nevada Gaming Commission."

"What," Ramon mutters, "What's going on man?"

"It's come to our attention that when you applied for this position-"

"I think it'd be better if you speak off the floor," Benedict interrupted. Both Linus and Frank look away at Benedict for a moment before he led them into the security cages, which allowed Virgil and Turk to make their entrance onto the casino floor in sentry costumes.

* * *

Danny and Natalie entered the restaurant not long after Tess had entered. Natalie took a quick seat at the bar and ordered herself a ginger ale. She knew anything heavier would make the rest of the plan almost impossible for her to complete and the only thing she had been successful in keeping down all day was ginger ale and crackers.

Tess spotted Danny making his way through the restaurant as she turned to take her coat off. Almost leaping from the table, she turned and grabbed him by the sleeve.

"No, Danny, no," Tess ordered.

"I'll just be a moment," Danny explained.

"I'm having you thrown out of-"

"Tess," Danny interrupted, "She's at the bar, willing to give you a chance, but I just need to talk to you." Tess looked at the bar and there sitting was her daughter, nothing like the teenager that she had last seen, but an elegant and grown woman. Turning back to Danny, Tess looks upset.

"You're both up to something, Danny," Tess snapped, "What? And don't say you came here for me and Natalie. You two are pulling a job, aren't you? Well, know this, no matter what it is you won't win me back."

"Tess, I just came to say goodbye and possibly to get you and Natalie to speak." Tess looked at Danny slightly taken back. A goodbye wasn't what she was expecting. Looking back towards their daughter who was sipping at a drink, she thought about it for a moment. That would be the only way Danny would have even gotten her here.

"Goodbye," Tess breathed to Danny. Danny wants so bad to kiss her, to tell her that everything was going exactly to plan, but he couldn't risk it. He couldn't risk blowing the exact reason why Natalie was even going to speak to her mother. Settling, Danny just kissed her on the cheek.

"You be good."

Tess stood in the middle of the restaurant for a moment before turning to the bar. Natalie had now disappeared probably angered by the way that her mother had acted, but then Tess spotted her sitting down at the table she had just come from. Tess walked towards her.

"Hello mother," Natalie said, not looking up from her drink.

"Natalie," Tess breathed, "How've you been?"

"Better." It was then that Tess really looked at her daughter. She was pale and Tess couldn't smell any alcohol on her breath. She tried to push Natalie's bangs away from her face, only for her daughter to grab her hand.

"Please, don't," Natalie asked, "I'm fine."

"You look sick," Tess stated. Natalie shook her head, looking out the window and away from her mother.

"I know what it is," Natalie told her, "It's not any kind of illness. Unless you count…" Natalie trailed off. Tess looked at her daughter slightly surprised.

"You mean…"

"Please, mommy," Natalie said, bringing back every memory that Tess ever had of her little girl being sick or scared, "neither Daddy nor Rusty know yet."

* * *

Danny went to exit the restaurant as mother and daughter finally spoke after five years, but in his way were the two plainclothes that had been following him almost the entire evening.

"Mr. Ocean," said the taller of the two. Danny looked at them.

"Mr. Benedict would like to see you," finished the shorter one.

"I thought he might."

* * *

"Good afternoon Mr. Escalante," Linus greeted, "Or should I call you Mr. Catton?" Frank looked up at Linus and then back down at the table.

"You are Frank Catton formerly of The Tropicana at the Desert Inn and in the New York State Penitentiary system," Linus asked, "Are you not?" Frank doesn't even bother looking at the rookie. Linus slaps the file with his hand.

"I'm going to take by your silence, you're not going to refute that," Linus states, before turning to Benedict, whom had been standing in the room the entire time.

"Mr. Benedict, I'm afraid that you've been employing an ex-convict, and as you know the intricacies-"

"Goddamn cracker," Frank muses out loud, causing both Benedict and Linus to turn and look at him.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard what I said," Frank replied, "Black man can't earn a decent wage in this state?"

"That is absolutely," Linus tried to explain, but Frank cut across him. Both men went back and forth on how this meeting was or was not a matter of skin colour. Benedict watched un-amused as they continued.

"Mr. Benedict," Linus stated, turning towards the casino, "You sir, of all people know that we at the NGC have always supported the hiring of coloured-" Linus closed his eyes, pretending to realise that he had said something that was sure to set Frank off and it did. Frank lept from his seat as Linus ducked for cover behind Benedict.

"No," Linus protested, "I didn't mean it."

"Alright, gentlemen, sit down," Benedict ordered and Frank composed himself.

"Sit down."

"You better talk to him."

* * *

"There's your briefcase now, Mr. Zerga," Walsh stated, as the pair of them watched as the guard got onto the vault elevator with a sentry delivering the cash cart with Yen inside.

"Wonderful," Saul mused, looking at the monitors. He was sweating profusely and breathing quite heavily.

* * *

"That's my cue," Rusty said, watching the monitor for when Saul would pop a rolaid in his mouth, fixing his tie and grabbing his suit jacket. He made his way out of the room.

"Get Bash ready," he continued, before making his exit. Livingston grabbed the mic and tried to contact Basher.

"Bash, what's your status? Bash?!"

"_Easy, easy, no need to shout governor._"

"What's your status," Livingston asked once more.

"_Yeah…_"

* * *

"…I'm nearly there," Bash told Livingston as he continued to drive to a parking lot that was a little bit away from the casino. Pulling into the parking lot, Basher parked the rented van and got the pinch ready.

* * *

"Mr. Walsh, please show this man off the premises," Benedict ordered, before looking to Frank, "Never step foot in my casino again." Frank stepped towards Linus, as Mr. Walsh begins to lead him from the casino.

"Cracker!" Linus and Benedict begin to exit the casino cages, when Linus looks at his waist.

"Oh shit," Linus swears, stopping mid-step, causing Benedict to stop as well, "I forgot my pager." Benedict looks at Linus slightly annoyed before looking down at his watch. He was going to be late and he absolutely hated being late.

"You know your way out?"

"Yes," Linus answered.

"Good."

"Enjoy the fight."


	6. VI: Livingston, We're Set

Chapter Six: Livingston, We're Set

* * *

"How much longer do you think, Mr. Benedict will be," Danny asked, looking at his watch. The two goons that had been placed on him earlier were standing in front of him in a tiny little room that had no windows and not a single camera. Looking up at the two goons, he realised something.

"Mm, no cameras in this room, huh," Danny mused, "Yeah, don't want anybody seeing what goes on in here. He's not coming, is he?" The two goons continue to stare at Danny until a loud booming knock was made on the door. The taller of the two smirks at Danny, before answering the door.

"We're gonna step outside now," said one of the goons, "Leave you two alone to talk things over." Danny closes his eyes and looks at the ground. This was going to be painful.

* * *

"There is that satisfying Mr. Zerga," Mr. Walsh asked, as Saul begins to sweat even more because they had placed the briefcase on top of the cash cart that Yen was in. Saul loosened his tie; he was having trouble breathing slightly.

"Are you okay, sir," said Mr. Walsh.

"I'm fine," Saul assured him, "I'm fine."

* * *

Danny continued to sit in the room with the large beefy man for a moment longer before standing up.

"Alright," Danny said, only to be met with a punch to the face by the man. Danny howled in pain at the punch as the large man stood to steady him.

"Bruiser," Danny snapped, "Not until later."

"Sorry Danny," Bruiser apologized, "I forgot."

"It's alright," Danny conceded, "How's your wife?"

"Pregnant again."

"Well, that happens," Danny answered, "Let's get started." Danny moved the small thing that he had been sitting on over to the air vent where his daughter was waiting for him no longer in the red dress that she had been wearing earlier.

"What are doing here," Danny said, slightly in shock, "How did you give your mother the slip?"

"She said I looked ready to pass out," Natalie explained, still looking slightly pale, "Told me to go back to my hotel room and get some rest. Told me that if I didn't do what she said, she'd call an ambulance, so I did it otherwise we would've been shit outta luck."

"And how are you going to explain not being in the hotel room when she goes to check on you?"

"She won't," Natalie answered, "I told her to not bother that Rusty was with me and I assured her that I would tell him to call her if anything were to take a turn for the worse."

"Good girl."

* * *

Saul watched on the monitors in the security centre as Linus made his way towards the elevator. The security watchers had spotted him too and were about to report him to the security guards when Saul suddenly felt very weak. Grabbing onto the banister in front of him, Saul tried to stable himself. Hearing the bang, the security members looked at him in surprise before watching him fall to the ground, grabbing his chest.

"Mr. Zerga."

* * *

Linus punched in the security code to an elevator and watched in nervous silence as the doors slowly opened. Livingston quickly switched the video feeds in the elevator and everywhere else not wanting anyone to get caught, while the security detail dealt with an unconscious Saul.

Linus placed his briefcase down on the floor and reached over to the hatch, ready to escape the elevator, so that Natalie and he could make their way towards the vault. He was just hoping that Natalie's conversation with her mother hadn't gone longer than she suspected or this thirty minute timeline was going to get really tight.

Flipping over the hatch, Linus reached down to grab the briefcase when he saw Danny with Natalie. Linus shouted in shock.

"Now you really didn't think that I was going to sit this one did you," Danny asked Linus, as both he and Natalie smiled. Linus looked up at them both of them in shock.

"What you didn't trust me?"

"We do now," Natalie answered, snapping her fingers and reaching for the briefcase. Linus handed her the briefcase. Moving aside she allowed her father to help Linus up into the elevator shaft that now hid all three of them.

Opening the briefcase, Natalie pulled out the fake bottom and pulled out each of the tools that were needed. Handing both Linus and her father their set, as she grabbed her own, she looked at them with a small smile.

"How did you get here," Linus asked Danny, as he clipped his own tools onto his black suit, taking off his costume.

"Give a friend a couple million," Danny answered.

"Wait," Linus said confused, "What about you, Rusty the whole argument, the tears? What was that about?" Both Natalie and Danny looked at the rookie with matching smirks. Linus looked exasperated.

"Oh come on," he complained, "Why'd you make me go through all this? Why not just tell me?" Both Danny and Natalie looked at one another before Natalie looked back at the rookie with a little bit of pity.

"Your father," she explained, "When my father first entered this life, your dad threw mine into the pool without so much as a life vest. Rusty tried to do the same to me…it was your turn." Danny looked at his daughter for a moment intrigued.

"I want to hear about that later."

"Come on, let's get goin'," Natalie stated, ignoring her father as she looked at the watch she had swiped from one of Benedict's rich friends, "Yen has about three minutes of breathing time left."

* * *

Saul was still passed out on the floor as Rusty dressed as a doctor tried to give him CPR, while both Virgil and Turk once again dressed as his security detail rushed inside. Walking towards Rusty they leaned down to him, inquiring about what they should tell his granddaughter.

"I'm sorry," Rusty stated, "We lost him."

* * *

Attaching their rappelling lines to the bottom of the elevator, Linus looks at Natalie nervously. She had already attached the line to her belt clip and was looking down the elevator shaft. It was a long way down and Linus wasn't sure if these lines would hold them; Natalie maybe, him and Danny not so much.

"These things are gonna hold us right?"

"They should," Natalie answered, now looking at her father as he tested his out. Counting mentally to three in her head, Natalie let go of the elevator and dangled safely from the repelling line. Letting out a deep breath she looked at her father. Danny smiled; she sure as hell wasn't his little girl anymore.

"Livingston, we're set."

* * *

"Livingston, we're set."

* * *

"_Basher, we're set."_

"Hang on a minute, chief," Basher answered, as he fiddled with the pinch that they were going to use to cut all of the power in Las Vegas.

"_We don't have a minute_," Livingston stated, "_Yen's going to suffocate_."

"Then you better leave off bothering me, don't you think?" Basher places the pinch back in the truck and walks away, wanting to stand a few yards away from the blast. Looking at the pinch carefully, Basher places his hand in front of his pelvis and looks at the pinch once more. Turning his body, Basher hits the switch and several things happen at once. The roof to the van blows and every single light in Sin City is suddenly dark.

* * *

The lights in the elevator go dark and all of the inferred lasers that had been monitoring the shaft are gone. Natalie reaches into her pocket at the same time her father does.

"Alright crack them," he ordered. Linus reached into his pocket and pulls out the same glow sticks that Natalie and Danny had already pulled out. Dropping them down the elevator shaft, the sticks illuminate the entire shaft allowing Danny, Natalie and Linus to see the bottom. Natalie and Danny share a look.

"Go." Natalie, Danny and Linus repel down the shaft and stop a few feet from the bottom.

"Shit," Danny swears, pulling on his repel line.

"Cut it," Natalie says, pulling out an army knife that she had learned to keep in her boot at almost all times. Cutting the line, Natalie drops onto her hands, feet at the same time that Danny and Linus cut their lines. All of them hit the floor just in time for the inferred lasers to come back on.

Danny and Linus pull the elevator door open and all three of them peak out onto the hallway where the two guards are standing idly by near the vault entrance. Sliding a small device towards the two guards, Natalie signals for her father and Linus to shut the doors once more and mentally begins to count down, while looking at her watch. After hearing a couple of bangs, Linus goes to open the door, but Danny stops him.

"Not yet." The three of them hear a couple more drops and then Natalie smiles and nods at Linus. Linus and Danny open the door once more and Natalie pulls herself out of the elevator shaft as they hold the doors open. Linus jumps out after her.

"We got it," both Natalie and Linus say, allowing Danny to join them.

"Do you think Yen got out okay," Linus asks, as the three of them run towards the vault door.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." While Natalie and Danny secure the guards' limbs with zip ties, Linus punches in the final code needed to get one step closer to the vault. The three of them watch in silence as the doors move, revealing the most elaborate vault door ever made.

"Alright," Danny breathes, "There is a ninety-five pound Chinese man with one hundred and sixty million dollars behind this door."

"Let's get him out," Linus states, while Natalie steps closer to the door. Slapping her hand against the vault door, they wait for Yen's answer in complete silence. Inside the vault, Yen is putting the devices needed to blow the door into his pocket, before he makes his leap towards the other cages. Squatting Yen gets ready to make his leap, as Natalie slaps the door once more. Yen takes a deep breath before back flipping onto the cages, only to slip off the top and almost hit the floor.

Yen finally makes his way towards the vault door and begins to attach the small devices to it, slapping the vault door as he goes to let Natalie, Danny and Linus know where he has placed them in relation to them. Danny takes a deep breath placing the final device on the door, while Yen tries desperately to get his injured out from being trapped by the vault door in the twenty seconds before they blow it.

"_Linus, don't blow the vault door_," Livingston warns, but the warning falls on deaf ears as Danny counts down the final seconds, Yen still desperately trying to free his injured hand.

"_Natalie, can you read me_," Livingston tries, "_Do not blow the door_!" But once again the plea falls on deaf ears.

"Two, one," Danny says and Linus tries to detonate the devices, but nothing happens. Natalie, Danny and Linus all look at the remote confused. Everything had worked just fine when they had done the run through, what was happening now. Danny presses the button the remote a couple more times. Natalie grabbed the remote from her father's hand and began smacking it with her own.

"What's wrong," Danny said, while Yen who had been preparing himself to be blown to smithereens along with the vault door took a deep breath and once more resumed trying to free his hand and finally be able to get some cover.

"Did you check the batteries," Linus asked, looking in between both Natalie and Danny. Natalie and Danny looked at the rookie, while Linus returned the look with exasperation. Digging into his back pocket, he pulled out a package of batteries.

"You know," Linus stated, "You lose this focus in this game for one second…"

"I know," Natalie drawled, "And someone gets hurt. I don't hear Yen complaing." Danny placed the new batteries into the remote and then hit the button once more. All three of them ducked as they heard the blast through the vault door. Looking at the door shocked, they made their way towards.

Inside the vault was a mess. The bomb had blown the cash carts into the wall along with Yen. The small Chinese man pushed a destroyed cash cart out of his way and stood looking at them in exasperation.

"Where the fuck you been?"

"Sorry."

"Rusty, you're up."

* * *

Tess and Benedict began to make their way from the arena. As soon as the power had gone off and then came back on pandemonium had broken out between the two fights. As they made their way out of the arena, a hidden cell phone in Tess' jacket pocket had begun to ring.

"Are you gunna answer that?"

"I don't have a cell phone," Tess stated, causing Benedict to look at her confused. Tess hearing the cell phone once more reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the cell phone.

"This isn't mine," she said.

"See who it is."

"Hello?"

"_May I have a word with Mr. Benedict?_"

"It's for you," Tess said, handing Terry the phone as the pair continued to walk away from the arena. Terry stopped for a moment looking at Tess and then at phone that she was offering to him.

"Who the hell is this?"

"_The man whose robbing you_."

* * *

Terry and Tess made their way into the security centre still on the phone with whoever was claiming to be robbing his casino.

"What's happening in the vault," he ordered his security. The two men looked at the tapes and saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Nothing, sir. It's all normal."

"Show me," he ordered, wanting to see for himself that this man was lying.

"I'm afraid, you're mistaken," he told the man on the phone.

"_Are you watching your monitors? Okay, keep watchin'._" Terry continued to watch his monitors as they went from a scene where everything was absolutely fine to two scenes where his underground guards were tied up and four men in black were packing the money in his vault.

"_In this town, your luck can change just that quickly_."

"Find out how much money we have in the vault," Benedcit orders as Tess thinks back to how that cell phone had gotten into her pocket. She remembers her daughter sitting in the restaurant looking extremely pale, not even the rosy cheeks she had been so fond of when Natalie had been little. Sending her up to her hotel room, Natalie had given her a hug assuring her that Rusty would be in touch. Natalie must have slipped the phone into her coat pocket. Oh, that girl was going to be in so much trouble.

"Tess, perhaps you should," Benedict states, looking towards the glass doors.

"Perhaps I should what?"

"It would be better if you weren't around here for this," Benedict stated, watching as his wife left the room looking dejected, "Alright you've proved your point. You broke into my vault, congratulations, you're a dead man."

"_Maybe_."

"Maybe," Benedict repeated, "May I ask how you expect to leave…"

* * *

"…_do you believe I'm going to allow you to parade bags full of my money, out my casino doors?"_

"No," Rusty answered, as he continued to walk through the casino, "You're going to carry it out for us."

"_And why would I do that_?"

"Take a closer look at your monitor," Rusty instructed, "As your manager is probably reporting to you now, you have a little over a hundred and sixty million in your vault tonight. You may notice, we're only packing up about half that. The other half we're leaving in your vault booby trapped as a hostage. You let our eighty million go and you get to keeps yours, that's the deal. You try and stop us, we'll blow both cash loads. Mr. Benedict, you can lose eighty million dollars tonight secretly or you can lose one hundred and sixty million publicly. It's your decision." He turns looking around the casino only to come face to face with his future mother-in-law and by the look of it, she knows exactly what's happening.

"Hi," he greeted, cupping the phone with his hand.

* * *

Benedict cups his phone as well, the anger evident on his face. Turning to his casino manager he nods.

"Make the call." Walsh pulls a phone out of his pocket and punches in a set of numbers.

"_911. Emergency response…_"

"Hello," Walsh greeted quickly, "This is Mr. Walsh at the Bellagio, we have four men with explosives who have taken control of our vault…"

Uncupping his phone, he states quite clearly, "Okay, you have a deal."

* * *

"Where's Danny and Natalie," Tess asked, angered by the entire situation.

"They're fine," Rusty assured her, "They want you to go upstairs and watch some TV."

"Oh, they do?"

"_Okay, you have a deal_."

"It's alright, Tess, I promise," Rusty tells her, before continuing his phone conversation with Benedict, "Good. Here's what you do. Five minutes from now, the men in the vault are going to deposit six bags in the vault elevator. If they meet anyone, we'll blow the money in the bags and the money in the vault. The elevator will rise to your cages, three of your guards will pick up the bags and carry them out into the casino. Now, if they take more than twenty seconds to reach the casino floor or there is any indication a switch has been made we'll blow the money in the bags and the money in the vault.

"_He's in the casino, by the slots_."

"Of course, I'm in the casino," Rusty states, hearing him speak to his security, "In fact I'm staying in your hotel. I have two words for you: mini bar."


	7. VII: Always Someone Watching

Chapter Seven: Always Someone Watching

* * *

"As soon as your guards hit the casino floor," Rusty continued, "A white unmarked van is going to pull up in your valet station. Your guards will load the bags into the van's rear, if anyone so much as approaches the driver's door, we'll blow everything. When I get word that the van is away and the money is secure my men will exit the building and once their safety is confirmed, you'll get your vault back."

"_Alright, now, I have complied with your every request would you agree_?"

* * *

"_I would._"

"Good," Benedict states, "'Cause now I have one of my own. Run and hide, asshole, run and hide. If you should be picked up next week buying an one hundred thousand dollar sports car in New Port Beach, I will be supremely disappointed because I want my people to find and when they do, rest assured, we're not going to hand you over to the police. So, my advice again to you is this run and hide. That is all that I ask…" Benedict holds up the phone to his ear for a little while longer, but gets no answer.

* * *

The white van that had pulled up in front of the Bellagio was now driving down the highway headed straight for the airport, as several beige sedans followed behind it.

* * *

"Mr. Benedict, our guys say that the van is headed for McCarran Airport," Walsh informed his boss, while Benedict continued to look at the monitors. Thinking for a moment, Benedict continued to watch the monitors before making his decision.

"Get everybody in position," Benedict ordered, "I want my vault back before that van hits the tarmac."

The SWAT team that Walsh had called in earlier repels their way down the elevator shaft towards the doors that Natalie, Linus and Danny had gone through earlier. Their guns at the ready, they tell Benedict to turn the cameras off and to cut the power.

"_Cutting power now._"

The SWAT team gives Benedict a play by play of what they're doing, while Benedicts waits with baited breath. The SWAT team breaches the elevator doors and checks on the guards that had bound by Natalie and Danny.

"_Guys, guys someones here, someones here_," Benedict hears Natalie scream to her fellow thieves.

"_Take her down _now," The SWAT leader orders. There is more indistinct chatter and the sound of gun shots and a bomb going off as Benedict listens in on the radio.

"_Lights, lights_," the SWAT leader orders, "_We need power now_." Benedict nods at his security team to turn the power in the vault back on. As the cameras come back online, Benedict watches as the SWAT team wakes the guards that had been incapacitated and smoke in his vault indicating that the thieves had kept to their word and had blown the money up just like promised. It was then that Benedict noticed something.

"Where's Mr. Zerga?" Walsh swallowed and looked at his boss sheepishly.

"He…he died, sir," Walsh explained, "His guards gave me this, assuring me that his granddaughter would be in touch with their lawyers and we can expect a lawsuit for letting him die while on our watch." Walsh handed Benedict a small slip of paper with a red rose on it. Benedict gave Walsh a sideways glance before ripping up the card.

"What's going on? Talk to me."

"_It appears high explosives have been detonated. I repeat has been detonated._"

"Tell them to take the van," Benedict ordered Walsh, "I'm going down there and find out how they hooked into my system."

"Yes sir."

* * *

The white van drove onto the tarmac of McCarran Airport, the sedans still following closely behind it. As the van stops, so do they; as each one of Benedict's hired goons get out of the car, they raise their guns towards the van.

"Get out of the van, now," the leader ordered, "Now!" Nobody steps out of the van. The goon looks at his men.

"Tires," he ordered. His men begin shooting at the tires of the van, wanting to make it difficult for the driver and anybody else that may be inside to drive off with the eighty million dollars that was suspected to be inside.

* * *

Inside the vault, Benedict inspects the damage that had been done. As the SWAT team continues its investigation on what exactly had happened down there, their leader explains to Benedict what exactly they have found.

"Sir, as of yet we have no suspects," the SWAT leader states, "We have yet to determine as of yet how they entered or exited the premises."

"Take your men out."

"Sir, may I suggest," the leader tries, "You stand outside until the bomb squad-"

"Now."

"It's your vault," the leader conceded, "Blue team, we're movin' out." The SWAT team begins to back up their gear and make their way back to the elevator. Benedict looks slightly defeated as he calls Walsh on the walkie-talkie.

"Walsh, where are we with the van?"

* * *

One of the goons walked up to the van and opens the driver's side door. He looks at it confused. No one is the front seat except for a camera that is being controlled by remote from somewhere unknown. Off in the distance watching the standoff are Reuben and Virgil, who is controlling the van via his laptop.

"Okay, I just want to try something," Virgil tells Reuben while clicking on his laptop. As the goon walks away from the van to let the rest of guys know that no one is inside it, the van inches forward slightly, causing him to jerk back. Virgil begins to have fun with it.

"Oops," he joked, "Aww, oh sorry, oops. You want your t-"

"Enough monkey business," snapped Rueben, having enough of Virgil's little game. Virgil chuckled, while clicking some more on his computer. The goons inch forward their guns raised waiting for something to happen when suddenly the van doors blow open due to a bomb that was planted inside. The goons jump back in surprise.

* * *

"_Mr. Benedict, we took the van sir_," one of the goons explained.

"And?"

"_And they say that there was no money in the bags sir_," the goon continued.

"What do you mean there's no money in the bags?"

"_They say the bags were filled with flyers sir,_" the goon relayed, "_For hookers_." Benedict looked around his vault once more. The same can be said there. Instead of money littering the floor of the vault it was flyers, except for by the door. There at the vault door was the one difference that should have told security that something was off.

"Walsh, cue up the tape to the robbery," Benedict ordered, sweeping part of the floor in front of the vault that say 'Bellagio' on it.

"_Yes sir, I'm looking at the tape now_."

"Does it say, Bellagio on the vault floor?"

"_No it doesn't, I don't understand._"

"We had it installed on Tuesday," Benedict stated eerily calm, "The images we saw of those people robbing us was a tape."

"_What?_"

"It was staged," Benedict explained, "Somebody made a duplicate of my vault and what we saw on the monitor wasn't actually happening."

"_I don't understand, what happened to all that money_?"

* * *

As the 'SWAT' team made their way out of the casino one of them lifts up his helmet revealing himself to be Rusty. It had been the perfect plan. Trick Benedict into thinking he was watching the actual robbery on his monitors, all the while Natalie, Danny, Yan and Linus were waiting calmly for him to call 911. In the hotel room, Livingston would redirect the call to their suite and pose as an emergency operator, sending in the SWAT team. The SWAT team would actually be Saul, Rusty, Turk, Basher, Livingston and Frank. When Benedict cut the power, the tape would cut out, so they put on a little radio show, while packing away the money in the SWAT team bags.

"Guys, guys, someone's here," Natalie screamed, while helping her fiancé pack a bag of money. Rusty would then grab his gun and set off the gun shots, while detonating the bomb that had set off at the same time. Once they were cleared to leave, Natalie, Linus and Yen would make their way to the back of the hotel where Rueben and Virgil were waiting to pick up them up, while Danny would return to where Benedict had left him and the SWAT team would make their way back out to their truck and away from the casino.

* * *

Benedict stood in his vault for a moment thinking over the robbery. There was only one man that could have possibly been the mastermind of such an elaborate plan like this one. Exiting the vault, Benedict made his way to the room that the two goons had led Danny to earlier in the night. The two goons were still standing outside.

"Open the door," Benedict ordered. The shorter goon opened the door just in time to see Bruiser punch Danny in the stomach knocking him to the floor.

"Hiya Benedict," Danny greeted, hissing in pain, "How's the other fight goin'?" Benedict didn't answer him, instead he ordered his two goons to pick Danny up off the floor.

"Did you have a hand in this," Benedict interrogated.

"Did I have my hand in what?"

"I'm going to ask you one more time," Benedict stated, "Did you have a hand in this?"

"Benedict," Danny breathed heavily, "I have no idea what you're talkin' about."

"Okay," Benedict relented, "You're free to go."

* * *

In her and Benedict's suite, Tess had been pacing the entire time that everything happened upstairs. In the background, she heard the phone ringing, so abandoning her task of trying to figure out if she could call the cops on her own daughter and ex-husband, she answers it.

"Hello?"

"_Mom, turn on channel 88_." Tess looks at the phone curiously as Natalie hangs up. Why would her daughter call her and then tell her to turn on her television to channel 88. Not questioning it any further, Tess turned on the TV. On the TV is a hallway she has never seen and Danny was being led from a room that she had never even knew existed.

"_What happened, Benedict_," Danny asked on the screen, "_You get robbed or something?_" She watches in pure horror as Benedict orders his goons that he had just ordered to remove Danny from the premise to stop. Danny and the goons turn to look at Benedict.

"_I'm going to give you one last chance_," stated Benedict as he walks towards Danny, "_Where's my money_?"

"_What I told you that you could get your money back_," Danny asked, "_If you give up Tess, what would you say?_" Tess watches as Danny gives Terry this ultimatum with bated breath. She knew Terry's answer or at least she knew what she wanted him to say.

"_I would say yes_." Tess could feel her heart breaking or at least she thought it was her heart breaking, it could have been heart filling with glee at finally realizing that maybe even though Danny had put her through so much heartbreak, she still loved him. Tess grabs her coat and leaves the suite as Danny tells Benedict about this guy that he got to know while he was in jail. If there was any job pulled in the Western United States, this guy would know about it.

* * *

"You know a guy," Benedict inquired, "Show Mr. Ocean the exit and contact the police. I'm sure; he's in violation of his parole." With that Benedict turned on his heel and made his way towards the elevator. It had been a long night for him and all he wanted to do was sit upstairs with his lovely trophy, curator wife and maybe ever forget all about it.

As he got to the elevator, the doors opened to reveal Tess still in her dress and coat from earlier in the evening. Terry looked at her inquisitively.

"Tess," he called after her, "Tess." Tess turned to look at her future ex-husband.

"You of all people should know, Terry, in your hotel there is always someone watching." Benedict watches as she leaves, realizing that everything that had just happened, Tess had seen and knew about.

* * *

The SWAT car pulled into the warhouse and the entire team exited with a small smile on their face. Rusty and Natalie walked out hand in hand. Everything had gone exactly to plan. They had gotten their one hundred and sixty million dollars and Danny had resigned himself to having to spend a few more months in person due to being out of the state. They would see him soon, but what Natalie still wasn't sure of was if she would be there when he did get out.

* * *

Tess walked through the casino towards the closest exit. She wanted out of this casino and back with the one man that she truly loved and their daughter helping plan her upcoming wedding and maybe a few other things that put a smile on her face. Running through the casino, she tried to spot Danny at the valet. Spotting him with a pair of officers, she ran towards him.

"Wait," she called to them, "Wait, that's my husband." Catching up with them just in time, Tess grabbed Danny before he could sit down in the back of the squad car.

"Danny…"

"Tess, I told you, I knew what I was doin'..."

"I didn't. How long will you be?"

"Three to six months, I guess," Danny answered as one of the officers pushed him into the back of the squad car. Tess gave him a small smile assuring him that this time she would wait for him to get out.

* * *

_Three to Six Months Later…_

* * *

Rusty stood outside the same prison that Danny had exited from four to seven months ago in an awfully designed suit, eating some sort of sandwich that if Natalie had seen him eating it would have earned him an earful. Danny walked out of the building, a small smile on his face once he saw his friend.

"I hope you were the groom," Rusty joked, taking in the suit that Danny wore. Danny tried not to smile or laugh.

"Ted Nugget called; he wants your shirt back." The pair of friends walk towards the car that has Danny rolls his eyes at. On the rear view hung Natalie's engagement ring by a piece of string. She had disappeared a month after the heist taking her share of the money, leaving only a note and her engagement ring behind. It broke Rusty's heart, but he was still looking for her though. He had promised her forever and forever was what she was going to get.

"Twenty-six million and you drive this piece of shit cross country to pick me up," Danny asked.

"I blew it all on the suit."

"Where are they," Danny asked, knowing half of what was wrong.

"Back row, silver sedan, ten o'clock," Rusty answered, "Stopped and picked up your personal affects. Hope you don't mind?" Both men leaned against the hood of the car and looked inside. Sitting in the backseat was Tess, a small smile on her face once she saw Danny.

"I'm not sure these belong to me…" Danny returns her smile and gets in the backseat of the car, grabbing Tess' hand.

"You said that you sold this," Danny mused, looking down at the wedding band that now graced Tess' finger.

"I said that," she agreed.

"Liar."

"Thief." Danny gave Tess the passionate kiss, he should've given her before he had been forced into the back of a Las Vegas squad car. Pulling away from the kiss, he finally saw the engagement ring that was hanging on the rear view mirror.

"Where's Natalie?"

* * *

_Five Years Later…_

* * *

Danny groped blindly at the nightstand in the dark. His cell phone was ringing and it was only midnight and he was sure that once he got a hold of that phone, he was going to give whatever member that had gotten themselves thrown in jail this time a piece of his mind. Finally grabbing the phone, he flipped it open.

"What," he snapped into it, only to hear a very familiar set of sniffles.

"Daddy," said a voice that he hadn't heard from in years. Bolting into a sitting position, he held the phone closer to his ear as tears threatened to fall.

"Natalie," Danny gasped, "Where are you? Where have you been?"

"Not now Daddy," Natalie answered, she sounded like she had been crying heavily, "You need to get the crew back together and you all need to get back to Vegas…" Natalie trailed off sobbing.

"Natty," Danny soothed, "Natty, what's wrong?"

"Reuben," Natalie told him, "There's something wrong with Reuben and they took him and I can't do anything about it or they'll hurt him and I can't let anything happen to him, I just can't."

"Natalie," Danny soothed once more, "Natalie you need to slow down. You need to tell me what happened."

"Reuben has had some kind of heart attack because a partner of his just took him for everything he's worth and that partner took Charlie, and I promised that I wouldn't let anything happen to him," Natalie cried hysterically, "You and the crew need to get here daddy, because I can't do anything to get Charlie back and he's got to be so scared that I'm not there to sing him his lullaby…" Natalie trailed off in hysterical sobs.

"Natalie, whose Charlie?"

"My son."

* * *

**A/N: Let me know what you think about whether or not I should do the sequel...it would be set to start where this ends of. While I enjoy the trilogy Oceans 12 does not exist in this fanfic partly because I can't really get through it without falling asleep at least once and Isabelle really has no place in a Rusty/OC story...**

**I hope you enjoyed it at least.**


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